Dead Rising: Zombie Infestation
by WoodlandBeef
Summary: A Dead Rising fanfic, focusing on OCs. Three best friends flee to the mall to escape the zombies and there they encounter Frank West, photojournalist, seeking to solve the mystery. A story of love, hate, vengeance, and betrayal. Day 3 Morning uploaded.
1. Day 0

Day 0: The Hell

**Day 0: The Hell?!**

It was 10 o'clock on Monday…..just another plain and boring Monday in Williamette, Colorado. Oh how Tom Weir hated Mondays. Thankfully it was the second week of August and he had nothing to really do except a few minor chores his mother had left on the note on his computer desk. Tom managed to drag himself out of his bed and look at the list.

_Dear Honey,_

_Could you please water the garden and hang some laundry out on the line?_

_Love ya,_

_Mom_

'Ugh this sucks' he thought to himself throwing on some lounge pants and his flip-flops. He walked into the basement into the laundry room and emptied the load of wash into the basket and called for the family's dog Casey. He heard the usual groan come from the bulldog in the living room as she woke up and came to the back door where Tom was waiting basket to his side. Not a very big and strong teenager like his classmates, but despite his seemingly endless time of video gaming not very gaunt or fat either. Tom let Casey out and followed her into the backyard and proceeded to hang the laundry on the line. Once he finished that, he went to the hose on the side of the house and dragged it around front and watered the garden. He yawned and rubbed his arm wondering what to do today.

'Ah I guess I'll see what Zach and Andrew are up to today. Haven't hung out with them in a while, and I've wasted enough of my summer playing games.'

Tom walked back into the house with Casey in tow as he heard a faint scream while shutting the door.

"Stupid kids," he grumbled to himself. He opened his cell phone and sent a text to his two closest friends asking if they wanted to hang out and maybe go somewhere. Usually the three would hang out at one of their houses, but since Zach got his license, though he's a few months younger than Tom (Driver's Ed teacher played favorites) they've been trying to go hang out together somewhere. Tom sat down in his computer chair booted up his computer and 360.

'Hmmm', he thought, 'I think I'll mess around in Dead Rising for a little bit before I hop in the shower.'

Tom loaded the game and was running around with random weapons beating up zombies when his cell started vibrating on the hardwood desk. There was a text message from Zach, which said:

_Yeah sure how about the mall? Andrew is already with me…texted me at freaking 9:30! If you want we'll come pick you up._

Tom sent a message back saying to pick him up at 11 so he'd have time to get a shower and put in his contacts. Tom then shut down his electronics, grabbed some clothes, and got in the shower. After having cleaned himself he put in his contacts, brushed his teeth, and combed his shady semi-long brown hair…slightly. After all of that he grabbed his cell, wallet, and MP3 not bothering to let his mom know since she was bound to call any minute now; she always did, always waking him up and bugging him, it really annoyed him. He grabbed a Dr. Pepper and a small thing of ice cream before heading out the back door, since there was an uninstalled dishwasher blocking the front for some reason he didn't care, and sat out front for a few minutes listening to his music.

Soon Zach pulled up in his mom's New Yorker…he didn't have his own car yet while Tom did, but it was in for repairs since it was his dad's old pickup. Tom walked down the driveway to the car turning off his MP3 and taking it out of his ears, when he heard another scream, this one was louder.

Andrew was in the front passenger seat, which a cop probably would have stopped Zach since Andrew's height and face betray his age. Though he was only a year younger than Zach or Tom, Andrew was slim, had a baby face, short dark brown hair, and was just breaking 5' in height over the summer so most people think he's a lot younger. Zach also was slim, and had a young face, but his long dirty blonde hair and height, being over 6' didn't get his age questioned usually. Tom got his aged questioned occasionally because of his face, with its constant peach fuzz he tried so desperately to keep off and his deep voice, which has gotten him confused as a twenty or thirty year old occasionally when he's talked to his friends through Xbox Live.

"Sup guys?" Tom asked climbing into the backseat and lying across the whole thing lazily.

"Just chilling. Ready to go?" Zach asked. Tom nodded. "Alright lets go," said Zach.

"YOUR SO FAT!" Andrew yelled at him. Tom just cocked his head off to one side saying, "Yeah so it would seem, but whose got the amazing ice cream and Dr. Pepper, and WHO doesn't?" Andrew frowned at him, "I hate it when you do that."

Tom just grinned as Zach pulled out of the neighborhood and headed toward Williamette Mall.They headed towards the center of town with little traffic at first all going the other way. Andrew and Tom looked at the people who stared back with the 'you're freaking insane' look as they passed by.

"What is wrong with people today?" Andrew asked.

"Dunno," said Zach without looking away from the road. Tom shook his head, but then he remembered the two screams from earlier. Tom sat up and finished his soda and ice cream and looked out the driver's side of the windows. He saw a helicopter flying towards the mall and saw a bus surrounded by people clawing at the windows.

"Oooook? Since when were people unhappy with the buses?" he asked. The others didn't answer because they were focused on something else.

"THE HELL!?" Zach and Andrew shouted in unison as they saw a few people running up the road followed by a mob of other people who were trudging along and following them, though they were losing distance between the runners. There were bodies all over the sidewalks and road and abandoned cars, and pools of blood, and even limbs strewn everywhere. They boys heard some form of growling or moaning and then two smacks against the side of the car.

"AAAAAAHHH!!" screamed Andrew as a bloody mouthed man was pressing against the window with its hands and face. Tom looked around saw more bloody people walking towards the car slowly.

"Oh hell no! ZOMBIES!! GUN IT ZACH!!" Tom cried. Zach didn't need to be told twice as he floored the gas and sped away from the zombies towards the mall.

"Zombies? Zombies! This isn't happening!" Tom yelled. Andrew was trying to keep his eyes off his window where skin and blood had been left from the zombie that was against his window in the shape of the hands and face smeared across it.

"You've got to be kidding," said Zach as he sped down the road with no destination in mind, forgetting that the mall was at the end of the road.

"Man I knew I shouldn't have played Dead Rising today. It was cool and all that they made a game based off our town, but DAMMIT I never thought this would happen," said Tom breathing heavily.

"W-w-what d-do we do guys?" whimpered Andrew.

"I guess the mall is our best option since if this is actually the game to a degree the Frank West guy should've been in that helicopter I saw earlier, and we know he's at the mall."

Andrew moaned, and Zach and Tom exchanged solemn glances, but they knew that was their best bet. And so, Zach, Andrew, and Tom drove towards Williamette Mall, where things were bound to only get worse.


	2. Day 1: Morning

Morning: Day 1: It's a Disease

**Morning: Day 1: It's a Disease!!**

After about ten minutes of frantic driving around dead…and undead, Zach, Tom, and Andrew pulled into Williamette Mall's parking lot. Looking for an entrance into the mall, they drove carefully around the main entrance as it was being mobbed by the undead horde. The three boys found an alleyway that led into the mall's outdoor area known as Leisure Park. They got out of the New Yorker, with Zach watching the back as they crept up the alleyway into the park. Tom peeked around the corner using his cell phone's camera after removing the belt clip with his keys on it so there wouldn't be any noise.

"All clear…for now," he said to the others and motioned to go into the open area. Andrew sprinted around the corner and ducked behind the nearby trashcan; followed by Zach and then Tom taking cover behind the trees bench next to Andrew's trashcan.

"Ok. We're here…so what do we do now?" asked Andrew nervously.

"I say we go to that gun shop in the North Plaza where that one guy was and get some snipers and shottys," Zach said and Andrew nodded in agreement.

"Yeah…that's a great idea! Let's barge in the gun store unarmed while that psychotic drunk owner has a shotgun pointed right at us! Excellent idea guys!" Tom jeered sarcastically. "I'll have to remember that when we're all dead or undead!"  
Andrew grumbled and Zach grimaced as he rethought over their current situation.

"Tom, you played the game more often than me and you're the game expert anyway out of all three of us," Zach said as they walked towards the middle of the park. This statement was true as Tom played video games the most out of the other two and as such lacked the athleticism of Zach or Andrew.

"This is true, but I don't see any life bar or inventory or skill meter floating above our heads, so I don't think we have the same chance of survival as we did in the game…one bite and it could be all over," Tom replied, "I think the best thing to do would to go into Paradise Plaza, and if this is like the game, we should be able to find some weapons in easy grasp there. You know, the katana, uzi, and some other things. Oh break any trashcans we pass and see if we can't find anything useful."

Zach nodded, but Andrew wasn't close to them. They exchanged worried glances, and turned around and seeing Andrew running up to them with two bats and a hunting knife in his hands, which relaxed the other boys.

"Here guys, and lets move quickly, I think I heard some of those creepy zombies moving down the alleyway," he said as he handed the knife to Tom, and one of the bats to Zach.

"Ah fu-," Zach muttered. "Let's go now!" he then hollered to Tom and Andrew.

They nodded, and then broke into a full sprint towards the entrance that was to Paradise Plaza.

Tom glanced back towards the alleyway, and sure enough there those undead bastards were, and they just kept coming. Just water, the zombies poured out of the alleyway and began to spread over the park. He almost ran into the glass door that was shutting in front of him as Zach and Andrew slipped in already, being that they were naturally faster than he was. Once inside the plaza, Tom said, "Alright, let me get the katana, Zach try and give Andrew a boost onto the blue wall thing over there. Andrew carefully climb over to the other end to get the uzi and climb back, be safe but be quick cause those damn zombies are spreading like a disease!!" The others nodded and walked towards the other side of the plaza, while Tom went upstairs to the Colombian Roastmasters café, where the katana in the game was supposed to be on the orange awning outside of one of the windows while stowing the knife in his on the little loop on one of his pant legs.

Tom got to the window and looked over the edge, and sure enough there was the katana lying conveniently on the awning. Tom climbed over the railing and looked to the stairwell where Zach and Andrew were, and he saw that Andrew was already coming back towards Zach with something in his hand that had to be the uzi. Zach looked over at Tom on the awning and grinned seeing his friend in such a silly spot.

Tom picked up the katana and waved it at Zach who sent a 'Woohoo!' back, and then turned to Andrew who was trying to get down off the blue wall decoration. Tom walked to the edge of the awning and looked over the edge.

'Hmph…its about ten feet down I think…I'll just-' his thought was cut short as there was the sound of fabric ripping. Tom felt his weight being pulled down to the ground all of the sudden, and he clamored for something to grab onto. He managed to grab a hold of the fabric of the awning as the orange fabric began to rip, due to his weight being too great for the fabric, he fell through the awning, ripping the rest of the fabric off, and landing on the hardwood bridge with a 'thud'. Zach and Andrew ran over to him uzi and bats in their hands and then started laughing at him.

"I told you! You are so fat!" cried Andrew doubled over in laughter. Zach was laughing as well while holding out his hand to help him up.

"That never happened in the game!" Tom exclaimed as he took the helping hand, and looked up at the tattered awning. Then he looked around for the katana, which was wedged into one of the wooden boards slightly. He pulled it out and brushed himself off.

"Alrighty then. What's next?" Zach asked. Andrew was fiddling with the uzi while the three walked around Paradise Plaza. Tom walked towards the barred gate, which he knew led to the Entrance Plaza, and he looked at his phone with the time saying 11:30 A.M.

'Well if this really is the game. Then Frank West should be arriving now and just meeting up with those first group of people who die.' And soon enough he heard a lady screaming "MADONNA! Have you seen my baby! Oh I can't live without my poor little baby sweetie doggie!"

"What was that?" Andrew called to him as he walked towards the one end of the gate trying to get a better view towards the main door.

"Well I do believe the zombies are about to be let into the mall in a couple of minutes," he called back.

"Well let's stop that from happening!" Zach shouted in complete disregard of the gate right in front of them.

"If this truly is a real-life version of Dead Rising then I should be able to see Frank and that old guy in 3…2…1- YEP!" Tom exclaimed as he saw an old man with a cane poking it through the other gate at a man in a leather jacket and khaki pants, who had a buzz cut and a camera in his hand.

"Yeah guys that is definitely Frank and the Dr. guy. And in a moment the dog lady is going to break down the barricade and let the zombies into the mall. Nobody is going to survive except Frank, and soon Brad and then Frank should be coming through that door," Tom narrated the action like a script. The boys heard screams, cries, and moans come from the Entrance Plaza not long after he finished. Tom turned around shaking his head, while Andrew and Zach sat on the little island/planter thing in the middle of the floor. Tom looked up behind his friends and his eyes widened. Slowly encroaching on them were a few zombies.

"GUYS ZOMBIES BEHIND YOU!!" he screamed. Andrew and Zach jumped forward, nearly dropping their weapons. The boys raised their bats and katana to defend against the undead attackers.

One lunged at Zach who swung the bat and connected with the head sending a spray of blood all over and launching the body into another zombie, and then he fired one uzi bullet into the head of the one. Tom stood with his katana like an ancient samurai and lunged at the zombies and decapitated one, and spun around sweeping the ground slicing off the legs off another other zombie and then stomped on its head as it crawled towards him. He neglected the fifth one as he laughed, "I think I've played too much Soul Calibur." The fifth zombie limped closer to him and was about to strike at Tom from behind, as Andrew dove to the ground sliding between the zombie's legs with his bat ready. The zombie looked down at him and Andrew stared right back yelling a battle cry, "HAAAA!" as he brought the bat vertically across the zombie's body knocking it backward to the ground. Andrew then stood on the side of the zombie as it writhed on the ground and brought down his bat on the face crushing the head into a bloody splatter.

"Well now, I thought you hated the sight of blood Andrew?" Zach asked him.

"If it comes down to it, I'll do whatever it takes to stay alive, and to save you guys," he replied. Tom punched him in the arm lightly saying, "I'm glad you are man, 'cause I probably wouldn't be OK right now."

The boys laughed together briefly before Tom pointed to a nearby door and said, "Guys lets head towards the security room from the warehouse through that door." They nodded and went into the warehouse and took the elevator to the rooftop. They exited the elevator and walked around the rooftop looking for anybody. Then they ran into three all too familiar people.


	3. Day 1: Afternoon

**Afternoon: Day 1: Blood, Guts, and a Killing Spree**

"Uhm…..hello there. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer, and Mr. Frank West I would presume?" Tom asked the three adults on the rooftop of the mall. The Meyers, an elderly couple, were in a loving embrace as the boys approached. Frank was taking a picture of them.

"Hello you three! Are you alright?" asked Mrs. Meyer, a long-time family friend to Tom's family, who walked over and gave Tom a hug. Mr. Meyer came over and patted Zach on the back.

"Good to see ya'll healthy and in one piece," said Mr. Meyer. The boys each replied with a thank you and a good to see you alive and well. Frank was in the background snapping away photos of the group.

"Hey Frank! Come here would you, and put that damn camera away!" Mr. Meyer called. Frank nodded and walked over to the boys who each shook his hand and passed greetings between them.

"Okay. Just answer me one brief question, how do you know who I am? I've never met any of you before." Frank queried.

"Uh…that's a long and uninteresting story…plus I think it is better if we not tell you. It's a mystery, and well….that's what you're here to solve right?" answered Zach eyeing the constant magical change in items in Frank's hand; a shotgun, to a baseball bat, to a jug of juice, to a pistol, to a two-by-four.

'He's definitely a non-real person, and this is the game. But…..everyone else here is real. What the hell?' Tom thought to himself as he too noticed that 'magical' item changing.

"Eh….not the answer I wanted, but yeah…I am here for another reason. To solve this incident of zombies or whatever they are and figure out what's going on" Frank replied. The boys nodded, the elders just looked back and forth.

"If you all will come with me, there's a security/safe room I can take you for protection." The Meyers nodded, but Zach, Tom, and Andrew shook their heads.  
"Thanks, but we are looking for somebody. We've got some weapons so I think we'll be okay. Plus, there are three of us and we know what to do and where to go if need be" lied Andrew, "We're going back in to find them. See you soon I bet."

"No! Boys you can't go! You'll die!" cried Mrs. Meyer. Mr. Meyer nodded.  
"Sorry, but we really need to. Trust us. We don't want to, but we NEED to," Zach said, "I promise you this though, I'll get these two back by tonight." Mrs. Meyer shook her head as tears started to form in her eyes. Tom walked to her and gave her a hug.  
"Don't worry, we will get back here safely. We just have to do this. For our friends sake" lied Tom as well. "Natalie, the boys are determined. I think it's dangerous too, but there's no changing their minds. Lets go," Mr. Meyer said.

"Suit yourself, the security room is down that vent over there" pointed Frank.  
"Thanks, but we know- I mean we appreciate it" grinned Tom, and he walked back towards the elevator. "C'mon guys, lets go." Zach and Andrew said their goodbyes and got into the elevator with Tom.

* * *

"I feel bad about lying to Gram and Gramps Meyer. They are so nice to us. I feel bad." Andrew mumbled sitting on the floor. Tom stood listening to the elevator music as it descended, twirling the katana in one hand, the hunting knife still resting in his pocket. Zach had the uzi in his hand, the bats in Andrews lap. The door opened, and the boys peered out. "Nothing, at least not yet", sighed Tom. Zach found a stun gun inside a box, as well as a milk jug. He tossed the gun to Andrew and hid the jug on one of the shelves. They re-entered Paradise Plaza.

Zombies had somehow gotten in, and it wasn't just a few, they had significantly filled the plaza like a bunch of undead Christmas shoppers. They even noticed a couple pushing carts. Security guards, old people, young people; fat, skinny, attractive, and repulsive. They were all undead and waltzing around the plaza slowly without a care in the proverbial, world. Tom gasped, and looked at Andrew and Zach.

"Maybe- maybe this is a little too scary for my liking. I mean I've never liked horror games or movies. Shouldn't we go back?" Tom whispered worriedly. Zach waved him off with a smile. "All that big talk back there, and now you're going to chicken out? Wussy", he mocked. Andrew had crept up onto the flowerbed in the middle, and crawled up to a zombie with its back turned. He held the stun gun up to its back and let the taser unleash its volts. The zombie twitched and writhed as the volts surged through its body, before it flew forward into the small pool, and sat there, still twitching, although now officially dead.

"Ha ha ha. That was great" chuckled Andrew. He got up and walked back to his two friends. Zach backhanded him in the chest.  
"IDIOT! What did you do that for!" he shouted; a tad bit too loud, as some zombies that were nearby looked up and at them. They started to shuffle towards the boys.  
"Ooooow," whined Andrew, "Totally unnecessary."  
"SHUT UP AND FOCUS!" cried Tom uncaring of noise level. He raised his katana and faced the nearest zombie. Zach immediately stopped and held up his bat, along with Andrew who did the same. The zombies moaned and continued approaching the boys.

Tom slashed the nearest zombie in two, the halves falling in opposite directions. He shifted and kneed the next one that was tripping over its own feet right in the jaw. There was a sickening crack as the zombie's head bent at a disgusting angle, severing the spine. Tom continued to twirl, bringing the katana down on another zombie's shoulder, and then flowing upwards with the hunting knife, driving it through the monsters chin into its dead brain. 'I have definitely played too many video games, but hey…it works' he thought as he continued his 'dance of death' through the decrepit crowd of zombies with a grin.

Zach, conveniently much stronger, and well…less acrobatic; stood firm and clobbered zombie after zombie with his baseball bat. A swing into a fat cop zombie's body caused him to falter on his balance due to recoil, though he sent the cop backwards into the crowd, causing them to fall. A zombie lurched at him from behind, stumbled, and toppled into him, causing Zach to fall too. The zombie writhed on the ground as it struggled to get to its feet. Zach stood up with ease, walked over to the thing, and stomped on its head three times. "Ah to hell with it" he said, and drew the Uzi. He shot one bullet into the zombie, and turned and fired away into the crowd. Bullets flew through the front line of the horde, and hit those in the back. The crowd collapsed.

One still stood unfortunately, but Zach didn't feel like wasting ammo. The zombie stared at him blankly scratching its neck. Zach lowered himself in his football line stance. He charged and tackled the zombie, driving it backwards, before he lifted himself upwards, picked up the zombie, and slammed it down on the edge of the bench. The head splattered into a spray of blood and brain matter. Zach turned to see how his friends were doing. Tom was still slicing and dicing the few zombies left around him. Andrew….

Andrew was small. He was nimble and quick, and strong, but not so much strong as the other two due to his size, but everything was playing to his advantage. A zombie on his right lunged forward. Andrew sidestepped and cracked the bat into the undead's knees, causing it to topple forward and make two other zombies trip. He kicked them in their heads a few times, and rolled aside bringing the bat across the back of the next offending zombie. It collapsed to the ground, and he smacked it on the ground some more. Andrew continued to evade and strike at each zombie that attacked, cleanly killing them each time with a skillful blow in the back or kicking them. One of the last zombies lurched forward, and Andrew whirled around bringing the bat to collide right into the jaw of the zombie. Its head flew clean off and into a trashcan. "Three points!" he cried, and he turned to face the final of his group.

It too stood there nonchalantly, oblivious to the death of its fellow undead. Andrew grinned. He walked up to it, having dropped his dented bat, and taking out the stun gun again. He put it to the zombie's chest, and zapped it for a second. The zombie twitched and stumbled back. Andrew laughed, and continued to do it. A brief zap to the thing just to make it stumble. The zombie made no aggression towards him, mainly because Andrew kept zapping it before it could react. Andrew laughed the whole time until a severed limb flew right over his head into the zombie, making the thing fall over.

"Oh what a pass! Touchdooown!" cried Zach who was standing a good distance away watching. "Just kill the damn thing would you?" Tom asked irritated. Andrew frowned. He nodded, and then grabbed the grounded zombie's head and snapped its neck with a violent jerking motion. "You just HAD to ruin my fun. You just had to didn't you?" he asked with a sneer. Tom shrugged, his clothing covered in blood. Limbs and corpses were strewn about him. He held both his weapons, and had a sinisterly satisfied look in his eyes; psychotic if you will. He glanced over at Zach who stood there also covered in some blood, not as much as Tom, Uzi in his pocket, bat in hand. They air-fived each other and sat down on the benches.

"Okay. What now?" asked Andrew who had walked over, avoiding as much blood as he could. There was none on his clothing, save for a few splotches on his shoes and pants. Zach shrugged. Tom looked at his phone for the time.

"Three. Four hours until they go night mode. We've got time; I say we head to the café. I'm hungry, and I think I'll find some new clothing on the way" he said with a smirk, pointing at the Colombian Roastmasters on the second floor, past a shuffling crowd of the undead. The others nodded, when the door to the warehouse opened, and Frank came out with a pistol in his hand this time.

'That magical changing is going to bug the piss out of me' thought Tom silently as he watched Frank look around at the death, and then at the three boys sitting calmly on the benches. Frank took a couple of photos of everything, and then walked towards the boys with the shotgun in his hand now.

"Ahem…well….I guess you three were right about being okay by yourselves. Why are you sitting around?" he asked.

"Oh. We were just getting ready to go to the café, and I might snag a new outfit on the way", replied Tom. Zach eyed the crowd of undead on and around the stairwell leading to the café. Andrew was scrounging in the nearest trashcan.

"Looky here!" he exclaimed, as he withdrew his hand clutched around the handle of a pistol.  
"Well…ehm….that's convenient?" Zach replied.  
"Why is there all this stuff just randomly in the trashcans and stuff? Ugh it makes me so angry!" shouted Tom. Frank had wandered off listening to a little walkie-talkie type device. Tom muttered under his breath, stood up and snatched the pistol out of Andrew's hands.

"HEY!!" he cried. Tom's hair now fallen over one eye, stared back coldly. Andrew shrunk behind Zach who just sat. Frank walked past them with a shotgun in hand rather than the walkie-talkie. Tom slowly followed him, stowed the gun and knife in pockets, while his hands clenched the katana tightly. Zach stood up and followed. Andrew did the same as well.

"So, you guys are going upstairs too then?" Frank asked as he smashed the butt end of the shotgun into the back of a zombie, which crumpled.

"Yeah, we are hungry. Besides, there should be some good items up and around there. At least sports related" Zach replied, pushing a zombie aside into the planter. Some zombies on the stairs noticed the presence of the boys and Frank, and began to come down the stairs. Unorthodox at best. Falling off one step, and face planting into the next four feet down. The living members simply walked over the undead up the stairs, though Andrew and Zach took a few cheap shots at the downed corpses with their bats.

Up the stairs, there was another horde swarming the immediate area. Frank switched to the two-by-four, and went to town on the nearest crowd. Andrew and Zach started smashing heads and knees with their bats. Tom walked away to the women's accessory shop, and grabbed a purse, which he so readily tested on the first zombie within range.

Tom swung the purse by its handle, bringing the buckled clasp across the cheek of a chunky elderly woman, leaving a perfect imprint of the buckle in the zombie's cheek. The zombie stumbled sideways and started to fall towards Zach, who brought his bat at the opposite angle, right into the woman-zombie's head with such force as to cause her to flip backwards while already in mid-fall.

'GRAGH!!' cried Frank, as a zombie had grabbed him from behind and bit into his neck, causing blood to spray outwards. He struggled momentarily, before shaking the offender off. Frank drew his pistol and shot all the nearby zombies, including the attacker. The pistol clicked empty, so Frank threw it at another zombie, a clean hit in the forehead. Andrew looked horrified at the blood that soaked the right side of Frank's coat, but Frank continued on perfectly fine.

"Frank! Doesn't that hurt you? That god damned bite!?!?" shrieked Andrew as he dodged a few zombies that swung their arms at him. Frank shook his head as he broke the two-by-four across an undead's head. Tom and Zach looked at each other dumbfounded, shrugged, and then continued killing the undead.

Finally the horde was dead, and the boys went into the café, while Frank remained outside, at first talking to himself the boys thought, until Tom looked outside and saw him talking to another man, with a camera, tripod, and pistol.

'For God's sake!' he thought angrily, and slammed his fist on the table. Zach and Andrew stared at him blankly while sipping soda.

"It's that damn pain in the ass of a reporter, Ken!" he growled. Andrew nodded.

Zach chuckled, "Hah! Yeah I remember when I almost knocked him out that day he interviewed us at the park the other day." Tom nodded and took a pie from the counter and brought it to his friends. He sat down with them, and then all three dug into the pie, stuffing their mouths full of delicious bakery-style goodness.

Frank came in after another ten minutes it seemed. Waved to the boys, and jumped out the same window Tom had done so in the beginning. Tom almost choked on his soda. Ran to the window, and saw Frank standing on the…..orange awning? Katana? He stormed away. Andrew and Zach got up too, and peered over. They too walked away.

"Hey! Don't leave me standing here!" shouted Frank.  
"Just jump off, you won't hurt yourself," Tom replied.

'Wish you broke your neck and died though' he thought, remembering his fall.

Zach patted him on the back. Andrew ran across the hall into the sporting good store, and was browsing through shelves. He settled with a golf club, and new baseball bat, and practiced swinging them together. Zach took a look at his marred bat, and then grabbed a new one as well. Tom eyed the bowling balls on the wall to the left. A grin worked its way across his face.

He slid the Katana carefully through his belt loop, and then grabbed a bowling ball. Then he stepped outside and positioned himself in facing a crowd of zombies at the other end of the upstairs floor. He started walking in his usual bowling form and let the ball roll through the shins of the undead. Ten or more had fallen, a couple having lost their shins, or at least they were bent at an unpleasant, useless angle.

"Steeriiike!" Zach shouted with a smile. Andrew set his two 'swords' down and grabbed a ball as well. He attempted the same thing as Tom, but he didn't bowl like Tom, and so he threw the ball harmlessly down the hall, completely missing any zombies, even the floored ones.

"Fail. Pure fail", commented Zach with a bigger smile. Andrew looked down in dismay, and then picked up his club and bat. Tom laughed, and grabbed another ball from the racks. Together the boys walked, killing more zombies, and heading downstairs. They saw Frank in the midst of a crowd, but he was spinning wildly with both arms outstretched, smashing the zombies into one another, even sending some flying through the windows and other shops.

"Nice move Frank. Where are you headed?" asked Zach.  
"Food Court. Back up for Brad, a homeland security guy, I met his partner Jessie ealier when I first got here", replied Frank.  
"Mmm…ok. I think we'll stick with you, at least up to the court, then we are going to head into Al Fresca Plaza to get to the Entrance Plaza. Good stuff to get while around there", Tom said, thinking about the soon to be encounter with Carlito.

* * *

Together the four entered Leisure Park, and headed in the direction of the Food Court. Tom tried to avoid using the katana, so he used the bowling ball as a smashing weapon. Andrew was swinging the bat and club in unison, batting away the encroaching hordes. After about ten minutes, they finally reached the mobbed doorway of the Food Court. Tom could hear gunfire from inside the structure over the moans and groans of the zombies swarming the closed doors. The boys then heard a large revving sound of a lawnmower startup, and saw Frank start mowing down the wall of zombies. The blood spattering was disgusting, almost making Tom heave. Andrew was vividly green. Zach just watched. After the mower had slaughtered its last zombie, the boys and Frank entered the Food Court.

Immediately, Tom dashed up and into a side café, followed by Zach and Andrew. Frank stood observing his surroundings for a moment until a semi-automatic sprayed towards him. A Hispanic man, Carlito, was standing up on the decoration that looked like a saloon front, firing his semi-automatic at the area where Frank hid. Tom looked around, and noticed an African American man, it had to be Brad, tall, built, and bald, dressed in formal clothing, who called out to Frank to get to him. Frank ran safely to him, the men exchanged words, with Brad nodding towards Carlito on occasion. Brad handed Frank another pistol, and then aimed out of cover and fired at Carlito, while Frank snuck around and up closer to go fight with the psychopath.

Tom motioned for Andrew and Zach to follow him out of the café to the left towards Al Fresca Plaza, since they all knew fighting a psychopath with a semi-automatic was much more dangerous than a horde of zombies. The boys slunk away into Al Fresca, only to be confronted by more zombies. Tom briefly glanced at his phone.

"Five twenty. Guys we need to be quick about whatever it is we were intending on doing out here", Tom said, as he bowled again, incapacitating a good number of the horde that began to swarm them.

"At first, I wasn't sure if we needed to come this way, but now I remember!" cried Andrew as he brought the golf club down on a zombie's head, "Sarah is here somewhere I think! I remember she had asked me the other day to come today."

'Okaaay. If that's true, then there are more survivors here than just the game specific ones…who also are real people, and we all know some if not most or all of them' Tom thought, 'I guess we need to go through the mall just like Frank and take care of them.'

"Alright. Wake up Tom! We need to make a plan!" shouted Zach as he bashed a zombie's face in.

"We make a sweep of the Entrance Plaza very quick, but we do that, for Andrew, and for the chance anyone else we know that may be stranded here", Tom replied, unsheathing his katana and knife, and hacking at the undead. The others nodded.


	4. Day 1: Night

**Night: Day 1: Silence Plus Violence**

Tom, Zach, and Andrew stood in Al Fresca Plaza fighting though the seemingly endless horde of zombies. Zach swung his bat fiercely. The impact on the zombie sent it flying through the hardware store's window, but also shattering the bat into splinters. Andrew's bat still remained fairly intact, save for the small dents in the wood. Tom's katana was still in good condition (excluding the fact of how many zombies it had cut through). Zach tucked and rolled through the shattered window as two zombies lurched forward in attempt to grab him. He ran around the store searching for a weapon to use, finally settling on a sledgehammer.

"God fking damn it! There's no end to these things!" screamed Tom as he impaled a zombie with his katana in the stomach, and then kicking it off the blade.

"Grab the umbrella Tom! Use it like a battering ram, we don't have the time to waste here with these pieces of crap!" Andrew cried as he skirted away from a large crowd that had begun to surround him. Zach burst through one of the store's windows wielding a sledgehammer like a mace; with two lead pipes tied through his belt loops. The horde of zombies moaned and groaned as the three boys fought their way through them.

Tom's katana unexpectedly cut through a zombie cop with astounding force, but that would be the end of his sword, since it slashed into the concrete planter right behind the zombie. The tip of the blade snapped clean off whistling through the air. A zombie on his right, mouth agape lunged at Tom who flipped the katana and jammed the shaft of the handle into the zombie's mouth. The zombie stumbled back stunned and confused at what seemed to be blocking its mouth. Tom drew the hunting knife, the pistol having fallen out of his pockets in the park, and slashed the zombie three times.

"Get a move on guys!" Tom shouted.

"Where's that parasol?" asked the other two in unison.

Zach and Andrew stood back to back surrounded by a horde. Zach brandished his sledgehammer, while Andrew, his bat also having broke, held both lead pipes in his hands like twin clubs. Zach swung his hammer low in a wide arc through the knees of five zombies. Andrew just smacked any zombie that got too close to either of them, and together they fought through the horde.

A zombie swung its arm wildly at Tom. It missed. He slid around it, and then like an assassin, he wrenched up the zombie's arm with his weaponless arm, and stabbed the knife through the throat. He let the zombie topple to the ground, even more lifeless now. He grabbed the umbrella and tore it out of the table holder with all his strength.

"Chaaargeee!!!" cried Tom as he bounded forward, having lowered the umbrella like a battering ram creating a safe path for Zach, Andrew, and himself to Entrance Plaza. Zach and Andrew joined in the rally cry as they followed him, bashing any zombies away that attempted to still attack.

"Left!" "Right!" "TOO MUCH!" "Go! Go! Go!" alternated Zach and Andrew as they guided Tom's charge. The zombies were easily swept aside by the sturdy umbrella, and it kept the boys protected as they traversed Al Fresca. The sun was slowly lowering towards the western horizon, which gave Tom more strength, as well as fear. The night, 7P.M. to be precise, was when the zombies got stronger, got faster, got hungrier, got scarier. Too long outside of any safe area, might mean death for him and his friends.

"Get in! NOW!" he shouted and barreled through the doorway into the Entrance Plaza having discarded the umbrella. Zach and Andrew followed. The gateway, which usually is closed, was up, and so the boys proceeded unhindered into the plaza. No zombies in sight.

* * *

"Okay. Where do we go?" asked Zach. Tom pointed up the escalator.

"Up there, we can get a better view of the area, plus I want to go to the antique shop. I like the knife," he said as he looked at the small weapon in his hand, "I just want another katana. It's so much easier to kill with." Andrew gave a quizzical look at Tom but then shrugged it away.

"Do you think Sarah's in here? I know she came today. Don't know who with though." Andrew said.

Zach replied with a smile, "Hah. If she were here, that would make everything all that much easier now wouldn't it. Not to mention making you happy lover boy? Eh? Ehh?"

Andrew blushed and shrank into himself as the three walked upstairs. A few minutes, and then they reached the antique shop. Tom thought he heard girly whimpering coming from up ahead, as well as a couple of deep toned voices, but he wasn't sure. He went into the shop while Andrew and Zach kept watch outside. Tom broke one of the katana cases with a vase, and withdrew his new bladed weapon. He ran his palm up and down the smooth side, admiring its craft.

'Ironic. I never thought I'd be doing this. Especially not acting like some guy from some ninja or samurai movie' he thought smiling. He left the store.

"WHAT THE HELL YOU DAMN PERV!! Get off me!" screamed a female's voice. Andrew's head perked up, he recognized the voice.

"Guys! Sarah!" he exclaimed and dashed off towards the origin. Tom stared dumbfounded at Zach, but they nodded and followed.

"Such a pretty little girl aren't you. A shame you aren't a year or two older, but then again…who's around to care what happens to you?" said a male's voice. Two other voices chuckled. "Now why don't you just behave and it'll all be over soon enough, heck, we may keep you around and safe from the zombies if you're good."

Something sickening hit Tom, the guy talking… it was John. John Oederick. The asshole who made Tom's life hell, and rubbing it in as he went out with Tom's closest friend, Sam Diorio. Sammy, the girl that stole Tom's heart from day one. The two knew each other for most of their lifetime, but Tom never really had the nerve to approach her about it. He told her his feelings one day and his nervousness, and self-consciousness. They were together, alone that day, and they kissed. Just as friends, but that still set Tom's heart racing with joy. Unfortunately, before and after, Tom had to sit by and watch her go through boyfriend after boyfriend, each seemingly worse than the previous. John was her most recent, but his best friend Zack seemed to also have taken a liking to her, and she to him. Tom talked to Zach about Zack always keeping her away from him, but all the time, Zach just told him to move on. Tom still hasn't, it's not that he won't, but he can't. He loves Sammy with all he has; he'd give anything to be with her. John….Zack….both so alike, and therefore, both are his enemies.

"You good bro'?" Zach asked as they hurried after Andrew. Tom clenched the katana tighter.

"No…John is there…" he replied quietly.

"Really? No way," said Zach.

"GET AWAY FROM ME! DISGUSTING! AIIYEEE!" screamed Sarah.

"Stop squirming, you'll enjoy this I promise," sneered another voice, Tom recognized as Zack's. There was a third voice, which chuckled.

"C'mon! Hurry it up!" Andrew hollered as he dashed around the corner and into the store where the voices were coming from.

"Zack too? Son of a –" Tom said as he heard Sarah scream again.

"GET OFF HER!!" shouted Andrew.

"Just who the hell are – OW!" hollered the third guy's voice.

"A-A-Andrew? HELP ME!" Sarah screamed.

"Back off kid. You don't want to hurt yourself with those pipes", John said.

"You back off. Get off her NOW!" retorted Andrew.

As Tom and Zach rounded the corner, they saw Andrew squaring off against three guys, one of whom was on top of a half-naked girl, very pretty, another knelt beside him, the third was clutching his head, blood trickling through his fingers. Tom and Zach stepped into the store looking at the others.

The one on top of the girl, allegedly Sarah, had long dark brown hair extending to his lower back. He wore all black. The one kneeling behind him had a short buzzcut, dark hair as well. He was wearing a polo shirt and jeans. His glasses shone in the light. The injured boy was also in all black. His hair was medium length, and a dirty blonde. He was on the floor clutching at the gash in his temple from Andrew's attack.

"Ha ha ha. Mr. Weir-d, what an unpleasant surprise," sneered John. Tom's eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here? Don't tell me this little pipsqueak and the jolly blonde giant over there are friends of yours? Hah! No wonder Sam doesn't like you; you've got some weird friends. Ah but then again misery loves company, such is it the same with Weir-d," John said smirking.

"To hell with you asswipe! Get off of Sarah!" screamed Andrew, fuming, who ran forward raising both the pipes overhead. Zack stuck out his leg at the last second, and tripped Andrew who toppled over into one of the display shelves. Sarah yelped.

"I swear on my life, that if this is how you treat Sammy. I'll rip your god damn hearts out", Tom declared angrily, pointing his katana at Zack and John. Neither seemed fazed.

"Jolly blonde giant? Bah! Least I don't have outrageously long hair down to my ass that makes me look like a disgusting tranny!" Zach yelled. Zack grinned at Tom and Zach.

"Oh, how could I forget you? Don't be smiling, you're no better than your friend on the floor there. And to think… You seemed like such an angel to Sam…", Tom said glaring at Zack who just shrugged and smirked.

"Don't be pointing pointy objects at people unless you know how to use them, Tom" he replied.

"Try me…" Tom said. John and Zack looked at each other and then laughed.

"You wouldn't even try to do anything to us. What would Sam think if you killed us, me her ex, and Zack her CURRENT?" John asked knowing exactly what he said.

Upon hearing that, something inside Tom shattered. Like a rock shattering a window. Everything just fell apart. Sam lied to him. Him of all people! Best friends since second grade up to now in high school! SHE LIED! Right to his face! She kept saying she wasn't ready for a boyfriend. Why? When? Why did she lie to him?

Zach glanced at Tom. Tom's hand was quivering; his hair swept to the side covering one eye, the visible eye had a hollow, empty, soulless look. Something just snapped inside his best friend, and Zach could see it, there were no words needed to be spoken, what already was said cut deep into Tom's heart. No questions asked.

The third member of John's group grumbled a little as he got to his feet. He walked towards Sarah pinned under John, and Zack. The shelf where Andrew lay dazed, began to shift as Andrew began to reawaken.

"Ow…my head" the two said at the same time. "Suck it up wussy," John replied to his friend. Andrew received no such reply from Tom, his inner self, broken, or Zach who stared blankly at him.

"Sarah!" cried Andrew and got to his feet. Still a little dizzy, but focused.

"ANDREW!" she shrieked. John clasped his hand over her mouth.

"How does it feel Tom? Your closest friend having lied to your face. Having been leading you on all this time for what? Nothing! You're even more of a fool than you are weird!" Zack laughed.

"Don't listen to them Tom. It's just a ploy to mess with you. She hasn't lied to you yet hasn't she? Think hard man. Think!" Zach said nervously.

"………Where is she. I am going to talk to her," Tom stated.

"Hell if we know. Probably already dead, that good for nothing whore. Wouldn't even give me a –"

"SHUT UP!" Tom cried, "You know nothing of what she's like! NOTHING!"

Tom's breathing pace had quickened. His knuckles were white from grasping the katana so hard. Tom was staring at John and Zack with a heartless emptiness that no human should ever have to experience. Andrew looked away from Sarah pinned on the ground up at Tom. He was scared. Zach inched away from his own friend, in fear that Tom would slash him. One word crossed both Andrew's and Zach's mind about Tom's current state of being. Psychotic.

* * *

Sarah's free hand reached out towards Andrew in a desperate attempt to reach help.

"Help me. Andrew. Please!" she begged. Andrew looked at her and nodded. He ran forward at the trio, and plowed his knee right into the side of John's head. The older boy was knocked off Sarah and into Zack. They fell to the ground. Sarah scrambled away on her hands and knees. Andrew dropped his weapons, and ran to Sarah, cradling her in his arms. She grabbed Andrew and hugged him ignoring the fact that she was half-naked, and the two whispered together.

"Mother F-!", shouted John as he stood up. Zack pushed himself up too. They grumbled, and picked up the two lead pipes.

"Why you little!" cried Zack. Andrew was oblivious, or simply ignoring, the two guys approaching him with lead pipes in their hands. The third guy had crawled away.

"Don't you even think about it you pieces of trash", Zach said. Tom was still lost in himself, his memories of his time with Sam for all those years, replaying in his mind.

"He ruined our fun, only fair that we get payback", replied Zack with a smug grin, as he and John stepped closer to Andrew and Sarah huddled together.

"John! ZACK! I'm going to tear you two apart!" bellowed Tom out of nowhere. Like a bat out of hell, he flew at the two other boys with such speed; they barely had enough time to get out of the way. John's long hair fluttered behind him. Zack dove aside. The two scrambled off the floor and circled around the store glaring at Tom who stood in the middle his head hung low gripping the katana. Zach watched in astonishment. Sarah and Andrew had crawled under a table in fear.

"What do you hope to achieve by this Tom? What do you intend to accomplish?" asked John as he continued strafing towards the doorway. Tom shifted and turned to face the others, his hair hiding his face. Zack also took steps towards the door. Zach was petrified.

"Goodbye you crazy ass idiot. Hope you don't hurt too bad", snickered John. Tom took slow steps towards them, his arms swaying limply from side to side, his breaths coming slow, and he continued to mumble something from behind his hair that sounded like 'murder, eviscerate, destroy, hate….lies'.

Zack and John inched away as Tom inched closer, until they were all outside of the store and on the walkway across the upper level of Entrance Plaza. John and Zack clutched their lead pipes in caution, while eyeing Tom's every movements.

"You really aren't going to try it Tom….are you?" Zack asked a little worriedly.

"Shut up Zack. He doesn't have it in him to do it. Might as well get some fun out of this", said John. Tom continued trudging towards the two.

"I am going to thoroughly enjoy this. It's been a chance I've wanted for so long. You don't deserve any part in her life, and so I will take you out of it permanently", John said excitedly. Zack looked at him quizzically, but nodded and stood his ground ready to swing at Tom. Tom continued to approach, still mumbling, arms still swaying.

"Hyaaah!" cried John, and lunged at Tom, smashing the pipe into his right shoulder and then kicked Tom in his right knee. Zack followed up and swung his weapon into Tom's shins. Tom dropped to the ground on his knees, slumped, still mumbling. John hollered and brought his pipe down on the top of Tom's head, and shifted to a horizontal blow across the right side of Tom's face. Tom was knocked sideways into the iron guardrails, blood splattering across the tile floor, and slamming his head with a clang.

* * *

_'What….what is happening to me? Why did Sam lie to me? …..' Tom was sitting in a dark room, crouched against a wall. His head buried in his knees, arms wrapped around his legs. 'How much of this is a lie? Who can I believe anymore? Why won't this pain go aw-wait….who is there?' No reply….a hand reached out from the darkness and grasped Tom's knee gently._

_'Its only you Tom, only you and I, one and the same, two pieces that make a whole,' said a voice that sounded just like Tom. Tom looked at the silhouette that became visible to him, his eyes widened in fear. 'What? Haven't you looked in a mirror before? I'm only you,' said the other Tom with a smirk. The other looked exactly like Tom, himself, but his hair hid both eyes, though Tom felt the piercing gaze from behind the shroud of hair._

_'I am you Tom. Surprised? You never thought you could have a dark side could you? Heh. A shame, I can help you so much, only if you would embrace me as a part of you, you wouldn't be so weak. You wouldn't take shit from anybody', he leaned in and whispered in Tom's ear, 'especially not John or Zack.' The dark-Tom grinned bearing teeth that had a fang-like appearance. One of his eyes became visible to Tom, but to his shock and fear, nothing was there where eyes were supposed to be._

_'W-w-what….what ARE you!?!?' screamed Tom._

_'I told you. I am you. All your hate, all your fears, all your sadness. Everything that makes you, everything that breaks you, I embody it all. You locked me away in the deepest darkest corner of your mind and heart….well I guess I should offer you some welcoming to my home. This is where you put me in hopes you would never have to worry about me. Looks like that failed, because now you could rightly use my help now couldn't you?' dark-Tom sneered. 'You've been used, abused, pushed around, walked on, teased, rejected, shunned, betrayed, among everything else you've been broken. What reason do you have to keep……hoping? Let me help you, I can make this all go away. I will demonstrate on these imbecile's who have plagued you for so long,' said the dark-Tom grinning evilly._

_Tom looked at his dark counterpart sobbing with tears in his eyes…_

_

* * *

_

John loomed over Tom's motionless figure, and began kicking at him. Zack walked up next to him and stared at the blood coming from the boy's temple. Zack prodded Tom with the tip of his pipe and watched silently as John continued to stomp madly.

"Oh come now Tommy boy, you can't be this weak? Sam hates weak people. She would never love somebody as weak as you!" cackled John. Zack stepped back and watched from a few feet away.

"Oh ho ho John. It's a pleasure to finally meet you," growled Tom in delight, the darkness of his heart having taken control, "unfortunately for you, this is where you meet me, and this is where you shall die." He shifted on the ground.

"Huh? What are you talking about kid? You don't have the guts to do anything to me," John said still kicking at Tom who was now moving.

Tom grabbed John's ankle as he kicked and pushed it throwing John to the ground. Tom stood up with the katana in his hand. John pushed himself up, blood trickling from his nose and glared back at Tom who stood facing them, his face hidden still.

Zach and Andrew helped Sarah find some new clothing since her own had been ripped off by John earlier. Once she was dressed, the three walked out of the store looking for Tom. They saw him standing on the walkway facing John and Zack, blood running down John's face, and Tom's head. There was something wrong, but none of them could bring themselves to move an inch.

"You bastard! You hurt me! I'll make you pay!" cried John as he lunged at Tom with his weapon raised. Tom parried the pipe with his katana sending John stumbling backwards a couple of steps. John got right back up and attacked again. This time Tom didn't make a move. The pipe slammed into his left side. John smirked.

Tom wrapped his left arm around the pipe and jerked it, bringing John face to face. Tom grinned, bearing his teeth, which seemed to have changed giving a more fang-like appearance like the dark-Tom. His hair had parted revealing an eye that was devoid of any humanity. It was full of an empty blackness, no heart, no soul, nothing was inside except for the hatred and anger that had taken control.

"Are you enjoying this? I understand you've been waiting a long time for this," Tom said with a smile, "Think this is fun? Is it?" John's eyes filled with fear.

"J-j-just what the hell are you!" he cried. Tom wrenched the pipe out of John's hands and backhanded him, throwing John to the ground. Zack and the trio were shocked and immobile. John got to his hands and knees and began to crawl away. Tom smacked the pipe into the back of John's knees, causing the boy to howl in pain and fall back to the floor.

"Weak am I? You are mistaken…and that will be your death", said Tom dropping the pipe and grabbing John by his hair and pulling him back to his feet. John looked at Zack horrified and whimpered, "Don't just stand there. Help me!" Zack didn't move. Tom kicked John sideways into the railing. John screamed.

"You brought this on yourself. Three years ago. You stepped over a line when trying to stop Sam and I from being friends. You should have learned just to live with it. Look where it got you," Tom said mockingly. John whimpered. His back was in excessive pain from slamming into the guardrail. He couldn't move.

"Don't kill me! I'm sorry! I'll leave you alone! I take it all back about what I said! Don't kill-" were the last words from John's mouth. Tom whirled around and decapitated the boy with his katana. Blood spurted from the neck and the body crumpled. John's head was sent airborne, and then fell to the first floor.

"Too late for sorry…" Tom mumbled as he turned towards Zack. Zack was horrified.

"D-d-did Tom just?" Andrew asked scared.

"He's lost it. He's going insane. John and Zack and Sam did this to him. What do we do?" Zach said to the others. Sarah began to cry and buried her head in Andrew's shoulder.

"Y-you're a m-monster! Get away from me!" cried Zack and he took off running. Tom laughed and dashed after him. Zack ran down the path in blind fear. Tom was gaining on him quickly. Tom was an arms length away soon, and he reached out and grabbed Zack by the collar of his shirt. Zack was taken to the ground by the sudden reverse in motion.

"You think I am a monster? You think I intended on becoming this way? Look at me Zack and see what your actions have done. You and John brought this side of me into existence. You two are the monsters. You two caused me so much pain and suffering! You just couldn't leave me and Sam alone being friends could you?" Tom said angrily.

"I-I-I'm sorry Tom. I never wanted to do anything that would hurt you!" Zack cried. Tom jerked the boy to his feet. He wrapped his arm around Zack's neck and dragged it backwards causing Zack to bend backwards at a painful angle. Zack screamed in pain.

"Like I said…it's too late for sorry," Tom said solemnly. The katana blade burst through Zack's midsection as Tom drove it farther and farther upwards bathing the steel in blood. Zack howled, and blood began leaking from the corners of his mouth.

"I hope…you…die a horrible…horrible death", Zack cursed. Tom grinned and then snapped the other boy's neck. He dropped the body and retrieved the katana. Blood ran down the blade, and Tom looked at it with glee.

Zach, Andrew, and Sarah ran down their walkway opposite of Tom, looking for him. They saw him standing over a dead body presumably Zack's. Tom howled and stomped on the corpse. He then turned his head towards a dark figure hiding in the shadows. The three ran across and after Tom.

Tom took steps towards the figure. It moved and began to crawl away. When it hit the light, it was revealed to be the third member of John's group. Tom ran up to the kid and kicked him on his back. Tom straddled the other's chest, one hand clamped around his throat; the other held the katana blade against his neck. The boy screamed.

"W-wait! I think I know where Sam is! I'll tell you, don't hurt me!" cried the pinned boy.

"Tom! That's enough! What's wrong with you!" cried Zach from a distance. Tom still glared at his pinned victim.

"Don't kill the kid! He said he thinks he knows where Sam is. Let him help us find her!" yelled Andrew. Tom's grip on the boy's neck tightened making the boy clutch at his arm trying to pry free.

"Hey Tom! Is this the way to act? Do you think this Sam girl is going to like you this way?" Sarah asked. Tom stopped. His grip loosened slightly.

* * *

_'What are you doing!?!? Stop!!! This is insane!' cried Tom. Dark-Tom was dancing around the dark room in delight._

_'Oh this is so much fun! C'mon Tom. You know you love this feeling, this power' he replied._

_'Let me kill this kid. It'll make my night. He's one of John's friends anyway, so what should it matter?' asked the dark one. Tom tackled his dark counterpart._

_'I said ENOUGH! I have nothing against this kid. He said he'd help me find Sam', cried Tom as the two wrestled on the floor. The dark-Tom sneered._

_'What then? Do you plan on letting her walk all over you again? What do you see in that girl? She's caused you nothing but more pain every day. Give up on her', he said._

_'I love her! I will find her! Things will be set straight! Now go away! PLEASE!' cried Tom…_

* * *

Tom let go of his pinned victim and dropped his katana. He clutched at his head screaming loudly. Tom fell off of the boy and began writhing on the ground screaming and crying. The boy watched in confusion as Zach and the other two got to them. The victim began to crawl away when Zach grabbed him by his leg.

"You're not going anywhere. You are going to help us just like you said", Zach said glowering at the other kid. Andrew snatched the katana off the ground so Tom wouldn't end up rolling on it. Sarah stood, biting her fingers. Eventually Tom began to calm down.

Tom pushed himself to his knees and began to cry in his hands. When he pulled his hands away, he stared in shock at the blood covering his hands. He rubbed his eyes making more blood cover his hands and arms.

'W-what have I done?!?!' he thought quietly. Then he screamed again.

"What happened here? Are you guys alright?" asked a voice that belonged to none other than Frank West.


	5. Day 2: Morning

**

* * *

**

Day 2: Morning: Detrimental Delirium

The trip back to the security room with a large group of people was a long and arduous journey. After Tom had somewhat calmed down and regained control over his darkness, Frank questioned their party as they walked about the Entrance Plaza looking for any more survivors. Frank already had a few with him; two men and a woman who had to be carried on his back. They found one final man hidden in a store. The growing group then fought back through Al Fresca Plaza and the Food Court back into Leisure Park on their way back to safety. Unfortunately, the trip was even more difficult with Frank carrying the crippled woman, and Zach shouldering Tom who was incapacitated for the most part.

When they reached the park, a large military jeep, driven by convicts traversed the whole park shooting at zombies and people alike. Frank saw a girl running around frantically in fear away from the zombies and convicts. Frank had the rest of the group make a mad dash for Paradise Plaza while he ran interference on the convicts and to save the young girl. The others did just that. They made it with little trouble save for a few zombies here and there, but nothing outrageous. Frank managed to save the girl and slip away from the convicts without too much difficulty as well. They regrouped and then fought their way back to the warehouse and security room.

Tom, having recuperated a little more, drug himself to the couch and collapsed on it without a second thought, passing out. Andrew and Zach went and bade hello and goodnight to the Meyer's as well as the other survivors strewn about the security room. Frank questioned them a little, wishing to disturb Tom, but thought better, and thus he disappeared back out into the mall for more exploration. The others all agreed on getting some sleep as well. Zach, Sarah, Andrew, and the newcomer, Jacob, sat together and discussed recent events before they too drifted off into a slumber.

* * *

_Once again, Tom found himself standing in the dark void pondering the recent events of the day._

'_Well, well....hello again my friend. How goes your evening?' queried Tom's dark counterpart, as it manifested itself in front of him._

_'Get away from me you monster! I've no need for the likes of you in my life!' cried Tom. Dark Tom encroached on Tom with his fanged smirk, and eyeless gaze piercing through Tom. Tom stumbled backwards as he attempted to keep the distance between him and his darkness._

_'Oh please', sneered Dark Tom, 'I can't kill you. I'll kill myself in doing so. You alive, means I am alive, and I most certainly have no intention of dying.' Dark Tom leaned down nose to nose with Tom._

_'Why are you so afraid of me? I'm only offering you help in surviving this apocalypse,' snorted Dark Tom, 'Come now Tom, I'll help you make it through all of this. I'll even help you find that Sam girl. I promise.' Tom looked back at his dark side in disbelief._

_'Just let me be a part of you. Is that so much to ask?' asked Dark Tom holding out his hand, 'You'll be able to take on anybody and anything.' Tom looked at his eyeless counterpart as if mesmerized, and slowly extended his own arm. Dark Tom grinned in delight as the two clasped hands. A red light began to fill the room..._

_

* * *

_

Back on the couch, Tom thrashed about violently on the bed, whimpering and laughing. He rolled off the couch and hit the hard floor with a thump.

'Ooow,' whined Tom as he sat up rubbing the back of his head. He sat for a moment letting himself rouse from the 'dream'. Tom then took out his phone and clicked the button checking the time.

"8:30 A.M.?" he said aloud.

"Huh? Oh Tom. You're awake. Come on we got to get going, Jacob has an idea where Sam may be," said Andrew as he walked out of the doorway followed by Sarah then Zach then Jacob who nodded at him with a slight smile. Tom stood up and looked right at Jacob, analyzing every aspect of the friend of the late John Oederick. The others watched confusedly, Jacob froze. Tom slowly reached his arm out towards Jacob who reacted by raising his hands towards his throat in fear Tom was going to choke him like the night before. Tom stopped his advance with distance between them offering a handshake.

"Look, I know it'll be hard to forgive what I did to you and you're friends, but believe me, THAT wasn't me. But I really do appreciate your help in finding Sam since you claim she's here," said Tom with a slight smile. Jacob was taken aback, but then lowered his hands and shook with Tom.

"Heh, uhh....yeah honestly, they deserved it for attacking Sarah like that. I didn't approve of it, but then again, I wasn't exactly able to do much anyway considering that smack in the back of the head I got," Jacob replied as he glanced over at Andrew, who just shrugged.

"Okay, okay, enough dawdling, let's get going. Where to Jacob?" asked Zach.

"I think the North Plaza, that area under construction. It's adjacent to Wonderland Plaza. I remember that we were all walking around that area when the zombies attacked, and there we got separated. The three of us got to the Entrance Plaza in attempt to escape...obviously that failed, but as for Sam...I don't know," he said.

"We have our destination. Let's go. Jacob do you want to come along, or do you want to stay here? Same with you Sarah." Tom said to the two. Jacob grimaced. Sarah nodded.

"Uhh....I gave you the info, can't I stay here where it's safe?" Jacob said inching back into the room. Zach glared. Andrew and Sarah headed for the vents to get to the roof. Tom nodded and grabbed his katana.

"That's fine. I would stay here too. Only I need to go find her, things need to be dealt with," Tom said glumly, and then he and Zach walked away from Jacob who wished luck to them before retiring back into the room.

_

* * *

_

Upon reaching Paradise Plaza, the group of teens began to wade their way back towards Leisure Park through the endless undead horde. Conveniently, the boys had the weapons from before, and Sarah now weilded a golf club from the sports store.

Tom cried over the moans of the undead, "I have a bad feeling we are going to need some guns soon. North Plaza has that crazy gun shop owner in there. No way we can get past him with melee weapons!" He lopped off the heads of three zombies, and kicked a fourth away from him. Sarah and Andrew fought together in unison, nimbly clubbing the undead with their weapons. Zach spun with the sledge hammer, sending numerous zombies flying.

"Kill the cops! They usually have guns!" cried Zach, as he slammed the sledge hammer down on a zombie, rendering its head into a bloody pile of brain matter.

Soon Andrew, Sarah, and Zach had gathered three pistols, and were waiting by the fountain near the doorway. Tom was still on the bridge hacking away.

_

* * *

_

_'Ooh the blood! I LOVE IT!' echoed the laughing voice of Dark Tom, as Tom slew the zombies. Tom ignored him and continued on towards his friends._

_'Bugger off would you? This isn't exactly the time for a discussion.' Tom said in his mind to his dark counterpart._

_'Hmph...Oh I do suppose you are right. You know who to call if you need any help my boy' he laughed. Tom grumbled._

_

* * *

_

The four got into Leisure Park, and proceeded towards the new stairwell that led to North Plaza. The teens chose to run around the zombies, considering the massive amount of space given, and barely spent any time fighting while they were in the park. They did notice an empty jeep, the one the convicts were driving last night, but the gun turret was missing.

'Frank took the damned thing, that bastard!' thought Tom as he ran up the stairwell. Zach shot his pistol at a few zombies, practicing his firing skills. The teens stood staring at the entryway to North Plaza frozen in terror.

The entire area was completely swarmed with zombies, nearly shoulder to shoulder. The zombies just shuffled about doing their thing, oblivious to the onlookers. They even swarmed the scaffolding and catwalks strewn about the area. A couple even fell off them into the crowds below, which resulted in more or less, a wave that surged through the crowd as they stumbled in one direction or another.

Andrew and Sarah squeezed each other in an embrace. Zach held up his weapons, both quivering. Tom's eye started to twitch. Slowly they all took steps back down the stairs.

"Oooh sheeiiiit. That plan is a failure," said Andrew as the four huddled out of visible range of the zombies behind the stairs. Sarah and Zach nodded. Tom was standing with his arms crossed, thinking.

"We have to go through Wonderland Plaza then. It's the only way," Tom declared. Zach looked at him quizzically.

"You're kidding right? There is no way we are going in there!" he shouted.

"If Sam is there, I am willing to risk it. I have my reasons," Tom replied in a cold tone. The others sighed.

"Persistent aren't we?" asked Sarah sarcastically. Tom shot her a cold look, which drew an angry stare from Andrew directed at him. Zach looked at his phone.

"Well, it is almost 10. If we are going, we better go now," he said intervening in the staredown between friends. The others stormed off towards Al Fresca, avoiding each other almost as much as the zombies. Zach shrugged and sighed as he followed them.

_

* * *

_

"I really hate him sometimes," mumbled Andrew as he strode alongside Sarah. She rested her hand on his shoulder as they walked.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have said that. He really does seem to care a lot for her," she whispered. Zombies were all around, but paid them no mind as they strode through the park, ironically at a leisurely pace, towards Al Fresca.

"I don't care! He has no right to get all pissy at us just because he's fighting a hopeless battle, and needs someone to take it out on!" cried Andrew. Sarah simply nodded, "There's more to his feelings than what he lets anybody see. THAT I can tell. Just let him be, and help him. He is our friend after all." Andrew grumbled.

_

* * *

_

"Sheesh! What do we have to do to have a normal conversation anymore? It's always about somebody's problems....." Zach trailed off, a few feet away from Tom.

"You guys don't have to help me. I can do this on my own", said Tom angrily.

"You're stupid if you think you can survive this alone, let alone get through North Plaza alone!" shouted Zach. Tom grunted and continued on. Zach sighed once more.

_

* * *

_

When the group got inside Al Fresca, they stopped at a few of the food stores, and grabbed some drinks and breakfast foods. Zombies were less populated in the food court, so the teens ate rather peacefully. After that, they traveled into the large amusement park-like section of the mall known as Wonderland Plaza. The four stood in the entryway to Wonderland Plaza, gazing at the immense size of everything in awe, but what really made their mouths drop, was the mounds of zombie corpses that littered the ground of the plaza.

"What happened here?" asked Andrew as he prodded the nearest corpse with his lead pipes. Sarah gripped her club tightly as she scanned the area.

"Looks like somebody did work here," Zach said as he drew his pistol, and stowing his hammer on his belt. Tom listened intently to their surroundings; he heard voices coming from further into the plaza.

"I hear something. Sounds like some people further in," he said motioning for his friends to follow. As the four moved deeper into the plaza, Tom's thoughts were confirmed, as the voices he heard grew louder. He turned and faced the others with a finger to his lips. He peered around the corner...


	6. Day 2: Afternoon

**Day 2: Afternoon: Revelation to Ruin**

Tom inched his head around the corner of the wall peering deeper into Wonderland Plaza. He saw more zombie corpses strewn about the plaza, and he also saw four people standing at the center of it all. There were four people, two men and two women, standing in a pool of blood. They were all armed with melee weapons, the biggest man held a large battle axe, which Tom recognized from the antique store. One woman held a large two-handed sword; the other brandished twin katanas. The last one held a sledgehammer.

'What the?' Tom thought. He turned back around and motioned for Zach to follow him. He pointed at Andrew and Sarah and then towards the escalators. They nodded and crept away from the hiding spot. Tom and Zach stepped out and walked towards the four people.

"Do you think they did all this?" Zach asked.

"Oh I don't know. Given the circumstances I'd think they did", Tom replied sarcastically. Zach chuckled, his hammer hung at his side, the pistol in his hand. Tom 'unsheathed' his katana as they drew closer.

* * *

"Something is fishy about those four people. Call it ESP or instinct, but something bad is going to happen", Sarah whispered to Andrew as the two walked towards the escalator.

"I think you're right", Andrew nodded and checked his pistol ammunition.

"Shall we stay down here instead then?" Sarah asked. Andrew nodded.

* * *

"Hello? Anybody there?" Tom asked loudly. The four people remained stationary. Tom frowned at Zach who shrugged.

"Hey yo! You alive?!" Zach shouted. The people shifted slightly. A frigid chill shot down Tom's spine as the larger of the male figures raised its head and looked at them. The man's eyes were completely black, and blood and cuts decorated his face and clothing. Tom noticed that the other three were much the same with blood, cuts, and the empty eyes.

"Shit! Zach! They aren't humans!" Tom exclaimed.

"What the frick! Zombies don't wield weapons!" he cried. The smaller female zombie with the katanas reared back and howled.

"Flessshh!" screeched the sword wielding female who then bounded forward on her feet and free hand like an animal. The axe zombie slammed the shaft of his axe into the ground and roared.

"Kill!" hissed the smaller man who also charged at the boys. The zombie with the katanas ran and jumped over the railings of the play park and began to climb the large castle. The axe wielder lumbered towards the boys.

"WHAT THE HELL!" screamed Tom who turned tail with Zach right on his heels.

"I thought zombies weren't fast, wield weapons, talked, or did any of that acrobatic shit!" shouted Zach.

* * *

"I told you!" Sarah shouted to Andrew as they ducked behind one of the planters, watching their fleeing friends.

"Wait…this doesn't make any sense. Zombies are technically dead right?" Andrew asked.

"Well, yeah, but technically they are undead. What does that have to do with anything?" she asked in reply.

"Look at their skin. Isn't it not as pale as the zombies we've been fighting up until now?" he observed. Sarah squinted at the sword woman chasing after Tom and Zach.

* * *

The sword woman screeched and jumped high into the air at the boys. The hammer man continued his pursuit.

"SHOOT THE THINGS DAMN IT!" Tom hollered. Zach dove sideways and ran towards the escalator.

"ZACH! YOU!" Tom screamed.

"Meat!" snarled the sword woman who angled her jumping dive towards Zach.

There was another howl, and the katana woman flew out of the bushes in the play park towards Tom.

"Super zombies!?!? AHHHH!" Tom cried as he rolled sideways, just barely avoiding the double slash from the katana woman. Three gunshots went off. The sword woman screeched and changed her angle away from Zach after taking two rounds in her shoulder.

The woman prowled glaring at Zach who had his gun aimed right at her. He fired. She rolled sideways, and hissed with a smile. The blood dripping from her shoulder seemed to have done little damage to the monster.

Tom gripped his katana and faced his female assailant who was poised to attack again. Beads of sweat formed on Tom's brow as he stared down the super zombie woman. He took a breath closing his eyes for a second. The woman rushed forward with a gleam in her empty eyes.

* * *

'_Well, well. This is a most surprising of events. Super zombies? How quaint.' sneered the dark side of Tom's personality._

'_Oh this is just effing wonderful. How are we supposed to even fight them' whined Tom. Dark Tom chuckled and strolled around the room._

'_Watch out Tommy boy. You got an angry girl who wants to do a lot to you, and I don't mean in the good way' sneered Dark Tom._

* * *

Tom snapped back just in time to block the twin blade strike with his katana though he was knocked on his back with the woman bearing down with both blades. The woman hissed, spitting on Tom's face. Tom lifted his foot into the woman's abdomen and flipped her over him, and got back to his feet.

"Bitch! That was just nasty!" Tom shouted at his foe. She growled at him.

* * *

"I wonder why they are so fast. It's almost like they are semi-alive", Andrew pondered.

"Don't just sit there Andrew! We have to help them!" Sarah shouted as she shook the boy. Andrew nodded with a grim expression, and stood up with his pistol in hand.

"Let's do this", he said.

* * *

Zach continued popping single shots off at his opponent, who continued to evade them. Zach tried to fire again, but the pistol only clicked empty.

"Aww damn", Zach mumbled to himself. The woman howled and charged forward. Zach reached for his hammer, but was slow to draw his weapon. The woman closed the distance quickly and thrust the sword at his midsection. Zach twisted his body just enough to dodge the blow, and elbowed the woman in the side of her head and then kicked her in the gut sending her reeling backwards.

"Bring it on bitch!" Zach jeered and did a couple of boxing thrusts. The woman screamed like a banshee in response and circled around him. Zach reached back for his hammer and pulled it out.

"I got your lunch right here ugly", Zach taunted as he tossed the hammer from hand to hand. The woman bared her teeth and flared her nostrils before charging Zach once again.

* * *

Tom's foe shouted some incoherent gibberish as they stared each other down. All of the sudden her feral expression twisted into a sneer. Tom was confused momentarily until he felt a force like a speeding car slam into his side. The hammer zombie was the culprit who had charged into Tom's side and sent the boy flying. The katana zombie took the incentive and leaped into the air at Tom who was stunned on the ground.

"Back off!" came Andrew's voice followed by gunshots. Bullets flew at the leaping zombie and she took one right in the forehead, causing her head to snap back and her whole body to flip in the air. The zombie landed and skidded across the plaza, leaving a smear of blood in a trail.

Hammer man's eyes filled with rage and he stomped the ground. Andrew ran forward with Sarah behind him firing at the enraged zombie. The zombie took a couple of rounds in the torso, but that only seemed to enrage it some more. Then it jumped into the play park and disappeared, while Andrew soon followed it hurdling over the fence.

"Are you alright Tom?" Sarah asked as she ran up to him laying on the floor. Tom clutched his side and grunted.

"Ugh. I think I'll be alright. This is friggin' ridiculous with how fast and strong these things are. I thought zombies were supposed to be slow, weak, and dumb."

"Andrew said something similar, but then he mentioned the skin tone of these zombies. He said it isn't as pale as the usual ones", Sarah said as she helped Tom sit up. Tom ran his hand through his hair and stared at the ground thinking.

* * *

The sword zombie thrust the sword at Zach again. Zach parried it with the shaft of the hammer following through with smacking the base of the shaft into the head of his opponent. She stumbled back. Zach lurched forward swinging the hammer horizontally. The woman ducked under it and grabbed his ankle, yanking it out from under him. Zach hit the floor as the woman snarled and jumped on top of him. She started clawing at him with her nails. Zach hollered in pain as the woman tore into his chest and arms.

The woman's relentless assault suddenly ceased and the weight was abruptly removed from Zach's body. He saw Sarah holding her club tightly, though she was still trembling. She had smashed the head of the golf club into the side of the zombie's head knocking it off Zach. The club trickled with bits of blood and gore. He looked at the zombie. The right side of the zombie's face had been completely disfigured by the blow, the cheekbone was bashed in, her eye was dangling out of its socket, her jaw was disfigured. Zach stood up and grabbed his hammer. He walked towards the struggling zombie.

"You pissed off the wrong kid bitch", Zach said angrily. He stomped heavily on one of the zombie's hands. The zombie woman groaned. Zach finished it off with the sledgehammer smashing her head into mush.

"I-I-Is it d-dead?" Sarah stuttered. Zach nodded as he turned around. His eyes widened in horror.

"SARAH! Duck and move!" Zach bellowed. Sarah froze momentarily before ducking as instructed. The giant battle axe swung right where her head was a split second ago. Sarah began to crawl away when a large meaty hand grabbed her ankle and lifted her up off the ground. Zach charged at the big zombie man.

Sarah was lifted face to face, albeit her face was upside down, with the largest zombie. She stared at it, and then cringed as it bellowed and sent spit and blood all over her face. The giant battle axe rested in his other hand as he held Sarah by one ankle. She turned her head slightly to see Zach charging at them. She then felt herself being swung around and then thrown, right into Zach. The force was immense and she crashed into Zach, which sent them both flying backwards into the wall. Everything hurt horribly. Zach was knocked unconcious.

* * *

_'What's a matter buddy? To much for you to handle?' Dark Tom sneered inside the confines of Tom's mind._

_'What now...' Tom trailed off. He glowered at his darker personality._

_'Oh nothing. Nothing at all' he grinned back, 'Just enjoying the entertainment. Better stop dilly dallying and help your friends.'_

_'God damn'it! Don't just sit there! Do something! Help me out here!' Tom cried._

_'Hmm? Nah. I think I'll just sit here and enjoy the show', Dark Tom chuckled. Tom lunged forward and grabbed his evil counterpart by the collar of his shirt. Dark Tom was taken aback somewhat at the sudden show of aggression, but his mouth twisted into a smug grin._

_'You better fucking help me! So help me god I don't destroy you right here and now!' Tom yelled. Dark Tom shrugged._

_'What's in it for me?' he asked sarcastically. Tom then found himself in opposite positions with Dark Tom choking him by the collar. Tom clutched at Dark Tom's arm trying to free himself. Dark Tom's eyes gleamed behind the veil of his hair._

_'Let go-' 'Shut your mouth!' Dark Tom cut Tom off and backhanded Tom across the cheek._

_'I don't give a damn if we share the same body. You aren't going to order me around, let alone THREATEN ME!' Dark Tom spat. He then slammed Tom onto the floor of the room still choking him._

_'I could kill you so easily right now' Dark Tom said glaring._

_'What's holding you back then?' retorted Tom. Dark Tom began to laugh and fade away into the darkness, and then reality came back into focus._

* * *

Andrew jumped over the bench in pursuit of the hammer zombie. Though Andrew was fast, the super zombie was still fairly quick, weaving in and out through obstacles trying to get away. Andrew was growing impatient at this chase, and so he drew his pistol and pipe as he pursued the zombie.

The zombie glanced back and snarled before turning and running up the stairs back onto the main plaza floor. Andrew took the opportunity of little cover and fired the rest of his magazine at the fleeing zombie. He missed most of the shots, but one hit the floor and recoiled upwards and into the zombie's ankle. The zombie howled as it began to slow down and then it turned and faced Andrew. Andrew skidded to a halt and looked at the hammer zombie. He threw the empty pistol at the monster. It hit the zombie in the chest lightly.

The zombie snorted and growled. Andrew stared right back, clutching his pipe tightly. They then charged at each other weapons held high emitting deep cries from their throats. The two met and slammed their weapons against each other. Though the hammer zombie was significantly taller than Andrew, their strength was seemingly matched, at least until the zombie gained leverage. Andrew's weapon began to bend under the pressure, so he rolled to the side. The resistance disappeared causing the zombie to smash it's hammer into the floor. The tile flooring all around the impact shattered. The zombie roared.

"You are one ugly ass piece of trash" Andrew said angrily. The zombie jerked its head towards him and snarled.

"Don't give me that look. What? You upset you're little girlfriend is dead?" Andrew taunted. The zombie's eyes widened and it howled once more before charging Andrew.

The zombie recklessly swung its hammer with impressive force. Everything it hit was smashed into bits. Thankfully, Andrew was consitently able to dodge the strikes while sneaking in a few of his own at the enraged monster. The zombie flailed its arm outwards as Andrew dodged, but still smacked him sideways, knocking him off balance. The zombie spun with a vicious roar and swung the hammer laterally. Andrew couldn't dodge it, so he lunged forward towards the zombie, his pipe poised to impale.

Andrew succeeded in driving the pipe down the zombie's throat, but the zombie still continued to spin, and the shaft of the hammer caught Andrew's side and launched him airborne. Andrew flew through the air into the play park and crashed through the bushes decorating the borders of the area. Andrew lay there dazed.

The zombie was bleeding profusely with the pipe running through its mouth and down its throat out the middle back. It struggled to remove the maiming object, but to no avail. The zombie kept trying to wrench it free, but caused more damage to itself. Instinctively, the monster used all its strength to free the object, but in the process it ripped its own head off and collapsed dead.

* * *

Tom scrambled to his feet and grabbed his katana off the ground. The remaining zomibe was lumbering towards an unconcious Zach and injured Sarah. Tom dashed forward, but failed to see the pool of blood on the ground, and he slid forward, tripping and stumbling head first into the wall. The katana clattered to the ground as Tom slumped to his knees. Blood was oozing from his brow once again. The clattering noise attracted the zombie's attention, and as it turned around, it started dragging its immense self towards Tom.

"Uunh. Ouch. That just sucks major ass", Tom grumbled to himself as he groped around for his katana while holding his head with the other hand. The big zombie stopped and watched as Tom fumbled around on the floor before taking longer strides towards him.

"Where'd that damned thing go?", Tom asked. Tom's hand found the handle of the katana and gripped it. The zombie overshadowed the boy as he started to get to his feet. The monster groaned before reaching out its big meaty hand and closing it around Tom's head.

Tom's muffled voice came, "Let go of me! Get you're fucking meaty ass hands off my face!" The zombie roared at him and then slammed Tom against the wall. Tom started yapping off random insults at the zombie while trying to find a place to slash his katana to free himself. The zombie repeatedly smashed Tom into the wall until Tom's limbs began to move slower and then soon ceased to preform action. Tom began to fade into an unconcious state as the zombie roared victoriously, and a girl's voice suddenly rang out in Wonderland Plaza crying Tom's name.

* * *

**I hope this section was to everyone's liking. Give me some of your opinions and what not? R & R**  
**I know there aren't 'super zombies' in the actual Dead Rising game. Hopefully my later chapter will answer anybody's questions about them.**


	7. Day 2: Night

**Day 2: Night: History's Haunting**

"_Oh you are pathetic!" Dark Tom shouted as he jerked a limp Tom off the ground._

"_You are so god damned fucking pathetic!" he cried. Tom gasped for air as Dark Tom's hands clamped around his throat._

_Tom kicked his counterpart in the stomach, causing Tom to be released and making the other stumble back. Tom lunged forward and landed a powerful hook across the side of Dark Tom's face making him spin around and Tom followed thorugh by tackling him from behind. Dark Tom's neck began to crack and began to completely rotate so that he was looking right at Tom although his head was 'backwards'. Tom was shocked._

"_You insolent little shit!" Dark Tom spat as he began to melt into the floor._

"_You're in my world. Here you have no power", the evil voice echoed throughout the room. Tom spun around looking for any sign of his dark side._

"_Show yourself!" Tom hollered. Suddenly, a dark shadow began to wrap around Tom's body like a snake. Dark Tom materialized out of the shadow and proceeded to strangle the life out of Tom. Dark Tom rested his head on Tom's shoulder._

"_Go to sleep child", Dark Tom whispered in Tom's ear. Tom then lost all feeling in his body and faded into darkness as the other began to assume control._

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the real world; the large zombie held Tom's limp body up high and it snarled. Footsteps echoed through the plaza along with the female voice crying out. Zach and Sarah were slowly collecting themselves after having been thrown into each other and into the wall. Andrew slowly sat up in the bushes clutching at his side where the sledge hammer had collided.

Zach and Sarah looked up. Both of them stared in horror at the zombie wielding the battle axe who was holding Tom up by his head. Sarah rolled off Zach who was attempting to push himself up. Sarah struggled even harder than he was.

"Shit. I feel like a damn bus just hit me", Zach groaned.

"O-o-oow", Sarah whimpered, "I think something's up with my ankle." Zach got to one knee, then stood up and held his hand out.

"Come on. We got to help him", he said. Sarah nodded.

* * *

"Tom! TOM!" she cried as she ran across Wonderland Plaza towards where she heard his voice and where the super zombies had gone towards. She ran across the corpse littered plaza with a shotgun trembling in her delicate hands. Blood decorated her clothing and was caked in her hair. She ran down the stairs into the play park, ignoring the stirring figure in the bushes.

"Unh. That hurts like hell", Andrew said as he sat up and gathered his thoughts. A brunette girl ran across the plaza right past him, toting a shotgun, towards where Tom, Zach, and Sarah were. Andrew watched her run past him. A few moments passed before he snapped to his senses and stood up quickly and took off after the girl.

'Is that her?' he asked himself, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey! Hold up!" he called out after the girl. She glanced back, waved, but continued running. Andrew grumbled and followed.

* * *

Tom twitched slightly as he hung from the giant hand of the axe zombie. The zombie moaned and raised its axe, poised to cleave Tom in two. Tom's arm reached out grasping the forearm of his captor. The zombie paused for a moment. Suddenly, Tom drove his katana upwards through the middle of the zombie's forearm, through the bone and muscle.

The zombie's pitch black eyes widened and its vice grip on Tom loosened somewhat. Tom's open arm snaked around the forearm while the other kept a firm grip on the katana. He swung his legs forward and twisted, wrenching his head free from the huge zombie's grasp, as well as kicking the zombie in the chin with his right leg, following with a kick across the cheek with the left leg.

The zombie roared in pain as Tom hung upside down from its bleeding arm. Tom stared at his opponent; his hollow empty eyes boring into the solid black spheres of the monster's. The zombie flailed its arm out trying to dispose of Tom. It slammed him against the wall causing Tom to wince and snarl. The boy started to pull out the katana as the zombie whirled around, swinging its arm wildly. Tom was thrown across the plaza. He twisted in the air and landed on his feet, sliding backwards a few yards. The zombie clutched at its wounded arm as it stared at its foe.

Zach and Sarah skidded to a halt as the scene unfolded before them. A sudden maniacal laughter and the revving of a chainsaw began to reverberate through the plaza as well. Zach looked around for the noise disturbance when he glimpsed the brunette girl coming through the play park with Andrew on her heels. He watched the two run up the stairs to their side of the plaza and also stop running as they watched Tom square off against the hulking monstrosity.

"You're in my way", Tom growled. The zombie growled back.

* * *

Andrew looked back and forth between Tom and the zombie, to the girl, to Zach and Sarah, and back again. He saw the girl who was trembling.

"Uh. Excuse me. You wouldn't happen to be-" Andrew started. The girl shrieked loudly, cutting him off, as she watched Tom rush forward. The zombie raised the axe overhead and brought it down at Tom, who rolled aside.

The zombie gripped the axe with both hands and swung it horizontally at Tom's head. Tom ducked and thrust his katana at the zombie, driving it through a shin. The zombie buckled and collapsed to one knee. Tom threw an uppercut while he ripped out his weapon at the same time. The zombie stumbled back, off balance, and Tom jumped at it.

The zombie flung its large arm out, catching Tom in the shoulder and batting him away. Tom howled in anger.

* * *

Zach and Sarah ran over to Andrew and the girl. Sarah wrapped her arms around Andrew's waist and hugged him tightly, which caused him to groan from the injury. Zach looked at the girl who was horrified by what was going on.

"I'll kill you!" Tom roared. The zombie slammed its fist into the ground and bellowed at Tom. The two charged at each other. The zombie started to throw a punch, but Tom crouched under and sliced through the knee, cutting off part of the left leg. The zombie tumbled to the ground. Tom walked up to the crippled monster, muttered something inaudible, and then drove the katana through the back of its head, withdrew it, and then decapitated the monster. Blood and other gore began to spill out from the wound.

Sarah buried her head in Andrew's chest as he too looked away. Zach's jaw dropped. The girl turned ghostly pale, dropping her gun, and then dropping to her knees. The zombie's head rolled slowly towards them, coming to a rest at Zach's feet, the solid black eyes staring right at him. Zach kicked the head away quickly.

* * *

"T-T-Tom? I-I-Is that y-you?" the girl whimpered. Tom stood there blank.

"Hey…girl", Zach said, "You wouldn't happen to be Sam by any chance?" She looked up and nodded although a little taken aback at the question.

"Well that's ironic. We were looking for you", he said.

"Wha-? Me? Who are you?" Sam asked dumbfounded.

"Sam…it's me. Zach. That is Sarah and Andrew", Zach said cooly. It took a moment for Zach's words to register with the girl, who then jumped up, color returning to her face.

"Oh! God! Thank god! I thought I was alone!" Sam exclaimed. Zach shrugged. Andrew and Sarah were locked in an embrace, though a smirk could be seen on Andrew's face.

"That IS Tom then?" Sam asked excitedly. Zach nodded.

Sam ran up to Tom who had turned away and was looking at something up on the second level. She ran up and wrapped her arms around his body, hugging him heavily. Sam started to whimper and sob and thus buried her head in Tom's back.

"I thought I was all alone. Oh thank goodness I'm not!", came her muffled voice. Tom mumbled something.

"I'm so glad to see you. I really am!" she cried. Tom repeated what he said, but she didn't acknowledge it.

"Are you alright Tom?" Sam asked worriedly. Tom mumbled again, but a little louder, which sounded like 'Get off of me'.

Sam asked, "What did you say? You've got to stop mumbling Tommy. Oh have by the way have you seen Zack or John. I was here with them. Do you know if they are okay?"

Zach, Andrew, and Sarah's eyes all widened as they approached. Sarah clasped her hands over her mouth.

"Uh oh..." Zach whispered. The other two nodded.

Tom shifted his head sideways and looked down at her with one hollow eye. A malicious smile worked its way across his face. Sam still had her head buried in his back and sobbed. Tom stood there indifferently as Sam cried into his back, until movement and noise that came from the top of the stairs caught the teens' attention. They looked up and saw two people coming down the stairs; one looked like a security guard, and the other was Frank. Zach, Andrew, and Sarah walked past Tom and Sam to go meet Frank and the security guard coming down the stairs.

* * *

"Hey there Frank. How's it going?" Zach asked as Frank and the other person jogged over towards the trio.

"Just another day in paradise", Frank replied sarcastically. "What happened here?" he then asked.

"Eh...nothing much. Just a few super zombies trying to kill us. Nope. Nothing out of the ordinary happening here", Andrew chuckled slightly with Sarah still clinging to his arm, breathing heavily.

"What's up with them? Oh the name's Greg by the way", the security guard said nodding towards Tom and Sam.

"Uh...nothing? Anyway, you know how to get into the secret passage from the bathroom don't you Greg?" Zach asked. Greg was taken aback, but nodded.

"Yeah. I was going to take Frank to it in thanks for saving me from-", he started.

"The clown with the chainsaws. Adam wasn't it?" Zach and Andrew finished in unison. The two adults raised their eyebrows, but shrugged it off, thinking it wasn't too odd for kids to know the name of a clown who worked at Williamette Mall all the time.

"Well. Shall we go then?" Frank inquired. The others nodded. Andrew called out for Tom and Sam to catch up. The two did so, and the group entered the bathroom where Greg then revealed the secret passage to Paradise Plaza. Despite some minor disconcerting looks and grumbles from Sarah and Sam, the group made it back to the plaza, and proceeded back to the security room without much difficulty. Tom was on a rampage, killing zombies, wailing like a madman. By the time they reached the room, it was just turning 7p.m. The teens walked into a room together, but each sat in their own respective part of the room. Sarah and Andrew sat together. Zach sprawled out on the floor. Sam sat in a corner looking at Tom who sat by the door.

Sam opened her mouth to speak, when Zach waved his arm to catch her attention. She looked at him confusedly as he shook his head, implying to not say anything to Tom in his present state. Sarah and Andrew fell asleep resting against each other. Tom sat lazily covered in blood as he became lost in his thoughts. Sam shrank into herself, wrapping her arms around her legs, and silently sobbed. She heard a rustling sound as Zach drug himself near to her. Sam looked at him through tear-filled eyes. Zach put his hand on her knee and smiled comfortingly at her.

"Talk to me. I know you're worried about him. He's my best friend after all", Zach whispered. A hazy eye drifted over Zach and Sam. A smirk slightly developed across his face, as he observed quietly.

"I-I-I just don't know anymore. The whole world has gone to hell, and Tom...Tom is just not himself. It's so scary. He's changed again, like after he found out about John. Why is it everytime I do something, I seem to end up sacrificing a close friend. I never thought Tom would change like this. He was always so nice to me", Sam replied.

"Well, pardon my language, but you've been a real bitch to him. He really cares about you, and yet you break his heart all the time. Backstabbing him and whatnot", Zach said coldly.

"I don't try to!" Sam said defensively, "I didn't ask for him to like me so much. I think he's a great guy, don't get me wrong, and he's one of my best friends!"

"More like you like the attention he gave you. You seem like a nice girl. You're attractive. And according to him, you're quite open and funny. I think you're heart is in the right place, but your actions beg to differ", Zach countered. Sam's cheeks flushed.

Sam was about to reply when Tom stirred. He stood up and then walked out of the room. Sam watched him go. Zach looked the girl up and down. No words were exchanged afterward.

* * *

_'You hear that? She doesn't even want you to like her! Why should you keep caring?' jeered the evil side of Tom's personality. Tom was suspended in the room by darkness. He hung their as if crucified on a cross, his arms outstretched and his legs all bound and immobile. Tom's head hung low and he sobbed quietly._

_'Impudent weakling! Answer!' Dark Tom shouted. Tom remained sobbing, but otherwise silent. Dark Tom walked up an invisible ramp, and stood level with Tom. He reached out and gently caressed Tom's wet cheek._

_'I'm sorry for your loss Tommy. Perhaps my method isn't the answer. Talk to me. Let us be civilized', Dark Tom said soothingly. Tom pulled his head away._

_'Bastard. Haven't you caused me enough grief!? Now what do you intend to do? Kill my friends?' Tom snarled back._

_'My, my, my! Such hostility. And here I thought I was the violent one. Truth be told, I never did anything to you. You did it all to yourself', Dark Tom replied, 'You built up all the hatred and rage and hurt, and crammed it all into one little ball inside your heart. Now it's a stain forever imprinted on your so-called good nature. You are actually worse than me. I never really had anything to do with your life up until now.'_

_'Liar! You're lying!' Tom cried out. Dark Tom's arm blackened and he thrust it forward through Tom's chest. Though no blood was drawn, Tom felt the insane amount of pain shoot through him and he coughed harshly. The other hand roughly grabbed Tom's cheeks and lifted Tom to eye level._

_'Shut your trap. If I ever had anything to do with your past life, don't you think you would've been a little more aggressive and all? Fighting people. Breaking rules. The fun stuff?' Dark Tom said bearing his fangs. Tom's eyes widened, and then started to fill with tears. Tom began to sob, but soon started crying heavily._

_'Oh come now. Are you that much of a wimp?' sighed Dark Tom. He turned and walked away, fading into the darkness as he scratched the back of his head._

_'When you feel like being a man, just give me a shout' the voice of Tom's dark side echoed._

_

* * *

_

Tom sat on one of the cushioned benches, and began to space out when he heard muffled voices coming from the monitor room. Tom crept up and placed his head against the door to eavesdrop.

"Doctor, please. We need you're assistance" Jessie said.

"Have you any idea WHAT your are doing?" the Doctor Barnaby growled.

"Well...no. That's why I'm here. To figure out what in the hell is going on. And I'm sure that's why Brad and Jessie are here too! So if you don't mind...spill it doc!" Frank growled back. A thump was then heard.

"Frank let go of him!" Jessie cried. "Let go of me you brat!" the doctor yelled.

"Not unless you promise to tell me just what the hell is going on in this crazy ass place! What's up with these zombies? Tell me damn it! Give me the information I need!" Frank shouted. The seemingly stubborn doctor must've grumbled compliance, as the noise decreased back to normal conversation.

"Ahem...", the doctor started, "Well...this city was actually a secret biological testing station. Recently I was head of a special operation in genetic enhancement research. It was founded by a secret organization, which I will not name, that desired to create a serum or pill or virus for lack of a better term, that would create superior genetically enhanced soldiers. Super soldiers if you will. Unfortunately the only breakthrough we had was when a bee got into the serum we were making, and then stung one of the scientists. The man definitely became genetically superior, whilst all our other experiments with direct injections only resulted in the subject going into a comatose state, before dying. Occasionally there was some reanimation, thus you have your zombies. The infected scientist had to be quickly disposed of, because he went into a bloodthirsty, destructive rampage."

"Wait", Frank interjected, "You said a bee got into the stuff and that's what created the zombies?"

"Yes"

"But didn't you say that the bee sting was successful? The subject wasn't killed by it?" Jessie asked.

"Well he wasn't. We continued experimentation with the bee stings. Some subjects died. Others zombified. A couple succeeded, but still went into a rampage. Our efforts seemed to be fruitless", the doctor replied.

"Hey. Does this bee", Frank said followed by a faint clank of a glass jar meeting wood desk, "look like one of yours?" A shocked gasp followed. Curiosity consumed Tom and he peered through the window into the monitor room. Frank stood leaning on the desk on one arm with a smug grin on his face. Jessie sat in the chair crosslegged adjusting her glasses. Dr. Barnaby's jaw hung open as he stared at the jar on the desk. Inside the jar, a large bee was contained, buzzing furiously. Tom watched and listened carefully.

"H-how did you come across one of them?" the doctor asked excitedly.

"Well, I killed some zombies that were holding their arms in the air, and the bee burst out from the head", Frank replied. Jessie studied the genetically enhanced bee through the glass.

"Funny thing is...if I kill the bee near a bunch of zombies, they all start thrashing around before their head exploding. Got any ideas doc?", Frank asked. The doctor tilted his head.

"U-u-unfortunately...I am not going to disclose any more information to you. You could ruin everything!" Barnaby exclaimed. Frank made a motion to grab the doctor again when Jessie intervened.

"Thank you doctor. You've provided more than enough information for now. Go and get some rest." The doctor nodded and walked through one of the other doors. Frank glared at Jessie before storming off towards the vents. Tom took one last glance at the bee before walking back towards the room where the others were resting.

Tom's hand grasped the icy doorknob of the door, but whispering stopped him from opening the door. Instead, he crept to the window and peered into the room. Andrew and Sarah were sound asleep in the same corner. He scanned the rest of the empty room, and caught Zach and Sam sitting in the far corner. Not much light reached that corner, but enough to get the image. Zach and Sam were cuddled against each other locked in a deep kiss. Tom's heart started pounding furiously and his fists clenched. Tom bit his lower lip, puncturing it, blood oozing. Tom took a couple of steps back and dropped down on the cushioned bench.

* * *

_'N-No! No! No! No!' Tom cried out from his imprisonment. Dark Tom stood on the floor having crossed his arms. Tom started to thrash about in his imprisonment._

_'That bitch! Where does she get off? H-how could she? HOW COULD HE?!' Tom screamed. Dark Tom stroked his chin, a slight smirk sneaking its way across his face. Tom continued you shout out curses when Dark Tom lashed out with a tentacle-like appendage, slapping Tom across his face._

_'Shut the hell up. I am trying to think in case you haven't noticed' he snarled._

_'Let me down from here so I can tear you into tiny little pieces you little bastard!' Tom bellowed in rebuttal. The evil version started to float off the ground up to Tom._

_'Now just calm do-' 'Bite me!' Tom interjected. Dark Tom frowned._

_'So be it' Dark Tom mumbled. He waved his hand and the darkness binding Tom disappated, releasing him. Tom fell rapidly to the floor, landing with a loud thump. Dark Tom gently floated to the floor, landing without a sound._

_Tom knelt, cradling his wrists. Dark Tom stood some feet away watching. Tom slowly stood up brushing himself off. Suddenly, Tom rushed forward at his evil doppleganger and began to throw vicious blows. Dark Tom grinned as he simply dodged and evaded all the attacks. Tom attacked with inhuman speed fueled by rage, but still Dark Tom was faster. Dark Tom thrust his hand out in an instant, clamping around Tom's throat, and then slamming him to the ground._

_'It's futile Tom. You're rage only feeds my power. You can't win.' he taunted. Tom began to writhe and thrash in attempt to get free. The other continued to gloat._

_'Why are you wasting your efforts on me. There is so many more productive things you could be doing right about now, such as killing those backstabbers.'_

_Tom abruptly stopped moving. His hair concealed his eyes, and Dark Tom felt immense hatred emanate from Tom's body. Tom began to smile revealing teeth that had become fangs. Dark Tom's smug grin slowly twisted into an expression of fear. Tom began to laugh. He planted his knees in Dark Tom's chest before thrusting upwards, and throwing Dark Tom off of him. The two stared each other down._

_'What's going on?', Dark Tom growled, 'Answer me!'_

_'Nothing. I've just let myself loose. I have no need for you. Begone!' Tom roared. His right arm grew black and rapidly extended outward, breaking into multiple tentacle-like appendages, and piercing through Dark Tom. Dark Tom shrieked as the appendages ripped him apart._

_'W-w-what are you g-going to d-do w-without m-me? You are w-weak without me!' Dark Tom managed to cry out before he disappated into darkness. Tom laughed._

_'As I said. I have no need for you. This is my body, and I shall do with it, whatever I damn well please. And now...'_

_

* * *

_

**Author's Note: Sorry about taking so long to update. I hope that though this was sort of 'filler', it will help tie up some loose ends.  
**


	8. Day 3: Morning

I had to move this story up to M rating. You will probably see why as you read through this chapter.

**

* * *

**

**Day 3: Kill Me If You Can**

"Hey! Where's Tom? Wake up! Jessie is badly hurt and Tom is gone!" Andrew shouted throwing open the door to the room where Sam, Sarah, and Zach lay sleeping.

"Mmm-neeyaaah" Zach yawned, rubbing his eyes. Sarah and Sam both stirred slowly. Andrew pounced on Zach who was nestled closely to Sam.

"DAMN'IT MAN! WAKE UP! TOM…IS…_GONE_!" Andrew yelled shaking Zach. Sam's head jerked up at the statement.

"W-What? What do you mean gone?"

"I fucking mean that he's gone. Not here. Disappeared. Poof! GONE!" Andrew replied, the veins in his neck protruding in stress.

"C-Can you…" Sarah yawned "…mmm…not be so loud? I'm sure he's just in another room."

"He is not in anybody's room. And he's not on either the roof or helipad! I checked! Twice!" Andrew said, his voice slightly cracking. Sam cast a worried glance at Zach.

"Tom is fine. I am sure he is. Maybe he went out into the mall…" the tallest teen trailed off.

"Tom…h-he never went out without us" Andrew's frantic voice began to quiver. A faint groan came from the doorway, drawing all four of the teens to look over. Jessie leaned against the doorway, clutching at her temple with a gauze strip.

"You're all so loud. My head hurts terribly…somebody slammed me into the desk last night…" she groaned once more. The teens exchanged confused glances.

"Did you see Tom leave at all in the middle of the night?" Sam frighteningly asked. Jessie shook her head.

"I saw him lying on the cushion bench by the door, but he never went towards the air ducts. Next thing I knew though, my head was flying towards the-OHMIGOSH! I just remembered! Where did it go?" she frantically gasped, turning around and running into the monitor room. The teens followed her and watched in confusion as Jessie tore apart the room.

"What are you…uhm…looking for?" Sarah inquired.

"There was a jar with a bee in it! It was right here on the corner of the desk last night, and now it's gone!" Jessie shouted. The other teens got on their knees and began looking for a jar.

"A bee? What's so important about a damn bee?" Zach irately asked. Another door opened, and Doctor Barnaby hobbled out, supported by his cane.

"YOU LOST IT?! That bee held all the secrets to this outbreak!" he shouted at Jessie who was still oozing blood from her forehead. Sarah got up and looked at the monitor screens for the various areas of the mall.

"A bee?" Zach repeated "What does a god damned bee have to do with any-" "Everything I've been researching you insolent brat!" Barnaby interjected. Zach, Andrew, and Sam stared blankly at the doctor whose face was undoubtedly flush from straining his vocal chords. Sarah gasped.

"I see him! H-He's in Entrance Plaza! Oh no! Zombies are swarming him!"

"Come on we got to go! He's in grave danger!" Sam shouted running towards the air ducts, tears leaking from her eyes. Zach and the other two nodded at each other, quickly grabbed their weapons, and ran out the monitor room, away from a sobbing Jessie and angry Barnaby.

* * *

Tom chuckled to himself as he cut through zombie after zombie with his katana. The monsters were stupid and slow, which posed no threat to Tom anymore. He feared no man, woman, or thing. Death was a weakling's fantasy. All his thoughts and fears faded away into nothingness, only to be replaced by power and hatred after he let the bee in the jar sting him, before crushing the creature with his bare hand. A new feeling filled his body; it was rather exciting and pleasurable really. All his physical capabilities had all been completely enhanced tenfold. It was as if his entire genetic code had been rewritten or altered.

A huge horde of zombies stood before the one lone teenager. The zombies moaned, Tom smiled, his teeth having turned into fangs. Tom jumped high in the air with his new abilities, katana gleaming in the morning sunrise, and slammed into the center of the horde. He spun in a circle, his blade outstretched, slicing through bone, flesh, and sinew all with equal ease. The first twelve of the many encircling zombies fell, whether by decapitation, dismemberment, or dissection. Blood shot out all over as the walking corpses fell in rapid succession. Tom licked his lips clean from some of the blood that had landed on him.

A zombie lurched forward, only to be met by the shaft of Tom's katana through its eye. Tom ripped the weapon from the monster, and twisted his body around to kick a zombie that had come up from behind. The corpse was hit heavily in the chest, and it flew backwards from the force of Tom's kick. The zombies behind it were knocked over as the kicked corpse flew into one of the support columns, and with a sickening squish, the flesh and stone bonded in a gruesome manner. He jumped onto one zombie's shoulders, decapitated three other zombies, before flipping forward kicking his undead 'platform' in the back of the head. He landed in another crowd, whirling around again and slicing all the nearby undead in half at the torso. Tom laughed maniacally as he continued to slaughter the undead.

* * *

"Oh god...Oh god. I hope he's alright!" Sam cried as the four teens ran through the warehouse and into Paradise Plaze. The gate to Entrance Plaza was shut for some reason, zombies clamoring at the steel, giving off decrepit moans and groans. They heard laughter coming from the plaza, but the zombies barred them from seeing what was happening.

"Damn'it! How are we supposed to get to Entrance Plaza now?" Sarah gasped. Most of the zombies were shuffling past the teens, oblivious to their presence, as if some unseen force was drawing them towards Entrance Plaza.

"We have to go to Al Fresca. What I want to know is why the zombies are all swarming...something must be happening there. Tom's in trouble I bet" Zach stated as he turned and headed towards the doors to Leisure Park. The others followed suit, dodging zombies just in case the undead were still hungry.

The teens entered the outdoor area, and much to their surprise, it was practically empty. There were few zombies anywhere, some corpses were dead on the ground, but for the most part, the area was empty. The four cautiously ran towards the Food Court doors. Andrew glanced to their right and he thought he glimpsed Frank entering the North Plaza. He shrugged it off and ran alongside Sarah who looked quite scared.

"Don't worry Sarah. You'll be alright. You're with me and Zach, nobody or thing is going to hurt you so long as I'm around" Andrew said comfortingly. Sarah nodded at him graciously, but the fearful expression did not diminish.

"T-Thanks Andrew, b-but aren't you worried t-that Tom is..." she gulped "..._dead_?" Andrew was slightly taken aback by the question. Sam who overheard this gave off a small whimper.

"I'm sure he's fine. Stupid on occasion..yes, but I bet he's perfectly fine" Andrew replied, forcing a smile.

"But there were like hundreds of zombies just in that camera picture! It was him against all of those things!" she cried. Andrew looked away.

* * *

The teens quickly reached the Food Court doors, and still there were no zombie hordes in sight. A couple of strays here and there, but no groups larger than three walking cadavers were present. The four then ran into Al Fresca Plaza. The outdoor plaza was more crowded than anywheres else, but all the zombies seemed to still flock to the doors leading to Entrance Plaza. The teens ran into the hardware stoor, collecting new weapons. Zach picked up a new sledgehammer; Andrew a shovel; and Sarah and Sam both grabbed lead pipes. All in all, the four now had a sledgehammer, shovel, two lead pipes, a golf club, and two pistols in their posession. After having left the store, the four reached the fountain in the central area, and Zach collected the Uzi out of the water.

"Oh...joy..." Andrew groaned.

The four now faced a problem. A horrendous horde of zombies flooded the doorway to Entrance Plaza, all of them moaning and groaning and clawing at the glass. The teens looked at each other with mixed expressions. Zach gave a small nod and ran to the parasols perched in some of the tables. Zach ripped one out and lowered it as a battering ram. Andrew and the girls lined up behind him, before giving a him a small nod that they were ready.

* * *

Tom continued to cut down zombies with his katana and limbs with ease. The stupid undead couldn't do anything to harm him. They just stood there and took the slaughter. Tom laughed once more as he lunged forward, throwing a sucker punch, that must've had the force of a speeding bus because the zombie flew backwards, knocking down all those behind it. A zombie lunged at Tom, who simply threw it to the ground. He raised his arm into the air and roared as he exercised his new power, punching right through the zombies head, leaving a pile of blood and brainmatter in the new hole in the floor. He spun around with his leg outstretched, roundhousing another zombie. The creature was sent flying into more of its undead brethren.

Tom began hacking and slashing at the horde of zombies around him that was quickly diminishing in size as the teen went on a rampage. Corpses, limbs, and blood littered the floor of Entrance Plaza. Tom punged the katana into the midriff of a female zombie, and ripped it upwards, slicing the zombie in half. He then lunged at another zombie, launching it into the air with a powerful knee, and then flipped forward, embedding his heel into the gut of the creature as he slammed it back to the floor. He followed up with a thrust of his katana into the torso of the next zombie. The creature stumbled backwards as Tom thrust his hands into the monster's mouth, and began to pull in opposite directions. The zombie gargled briefly as its head was ripped in two. Tom dropped both pieces and grabbed his katana when a squeak from further in the hallway caught his attention. He looked up and had the unfortunate pleasure of seeing his 'friends'.

* * *

Zach and Andrew both stood clenching their weapons. Sarah and Sam both had their hands clasped over their mouths. Tom stared at them blankly. He grinned smugly, bearing his sharpened teeth. The final zombie lurched towards him, which Tom simply lashed out his arm, and clamped his hand around the undead's head.

"T-Tom? W-What's happening? W-Who did this?" Andrew asked nervously, although the answer was pretty obvious. Tom continued to grin.

"TOM! What are you doing! Come on we got to get out of this mall!" Sarah shrieked. The others nodded in agreement.

"Shut up bitch!" Tom snarled, drawing an angered glare from Andrew, "Just who in the hell do any of you think you are? Who the hell do you think I am?"

"You're Tom Weir? A very close friend of ours. What's going on?" Zach responded. Tom's grip tightened on the zombie's head who writhed in his grip. Blood started to ooze from between his fingers before a quick crunch followed by a gushy squish sound followed the death of the zombie. He dropped the corpse as if nothing happened. Sam whimpered at the sight of the creatures deformed, mutliated skull.

"Wrong. That is who I _was_...who I am now? Hah. You're puny little minds couldn't even begin to fathom the power I now possess. Run along now before I get angrier" Tom growled. He took a step forward, and the girls stepped backwards, quivering.

"Angrier? You're kidding!" Zach exclaimed, "We're all going to get out of the mall by noon today, so come on!"

"Come on Tom! There's no reason to go on a zombie hunt again. We've seen enough of this hell hole and all these zombies. I just want to get the hell out of here and to a safe place. The others would agree with me too right?" Andrew asked glancing at his companions who nodded.

"Hah! Zombie hunting? Oh no no _nooo_...I was waiting for some live prey to show up! I'm rather hungry actually!" Tom scoffed with a gleam in his eye. He crouched on his hands and feet like an animal. The other kids drew their weapons. Something was wrong, it could be felt in the air. Zach stood firm with his sledgehammer out and Uzi in pocket. Andrew held his shovel tightly, having a holstered pistol in his pocket. Sam wielded the two lead pipes, although a tad awkwardly. Sarah clutched her golf club, she too also having a pistol resting in her pocket.

"J-Just w-what do you t-think you're doing?" Andrew stammered.

"I'm disposing of my _problems_" Tom hissed. He darted forward on all of his limbs, gripping the katana that made a continous clatter as it slapped against the tile floor. Tom moved excessively fast, too fast for Andrew to react. He was swept off his feet by a sweeping kick from Tom, who followed up with his other leg in a kick to the smaller boy's torso. Andrew skidded across the floor winded, his shovel crashed to the floor. Sarah and Sam ran up to the grounded Andrew and sat him up.

"TOM! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!" Sarah shrieked. Zach took a small step back as his former friend faced him, the fear and terror flooded all of his senses.

"Dude! Chill the fuck out! Why are you fighting us?!" Zach shouted. Tom laughed and lunged at Zach with his katana. Tom thrust his katana repeatedly at Zach who actually managed to parry some strikes with the wood shaft of his hammer. Zach blocked a vertical slash and shoved back. Tom stumbled back a little, narrowing his eyes with a malicious smile.

"Ugh...that...urgh...hurt..." Andrew groaned, clutching at his stomach. Sarah leaned him against his shoulder, Sam was knelt down beside him. They looked up and saw Zach slowly backing up as Tom beared down with continuous strikes. They saw Zach wince in pain as some of dodges couldn't prevent the blade from cutting into his arms slightly.

"He's trying to kill us. Why!?!" Sarah gasped as Andrew struggled to his feet.

"We have to stop him. Subdue him. Kill him. I don't know, but how?" Andrew grunted. Sam got up and ran towards the two duelers.

"TOM STOP THIS!" Sam shrieked. "STAY BACK!" Zach commanded ducking below another slice. Tom laughed as he kneed Zach in the jaw, knocking the boy backwards in a stumble. The other three teens gasped and watched in horror as Tom thrusted his katana at Zach's midsection.

"NO!" they all screamed in unison. Zach reacted just fast enough to throw the hammer up, Tom's katana piercing through the wood. The blade continued to come forward, albeit slower, until the very tip poked Zach in the abdomen. Tom frowned.

"Get the hell away!" Zach shouted as he twisted his hammer, wrenching the katana out of Tom's hand, and tossed it aside. He drew his Uzi as Tom jumped back. Tom smirked.

"Die you bastard! I thought you were our friend!" Zach bellowed as he fired his Uzi. Tom broke into a run and ran down the plaza, faster than Zach could follow with his aim. Tom bent at the knees and jumped at a column, digging his fingers into the concrete. Zach followed with his fire, but Tom jumped across the plaza to another pillar. Zach followed again, not paying attention to his ammunition level, and Tom continued to dodge until Zach's Uzi clicked empty.

"Shit! SHIT!" he growled as he fumbled with the gun, thinking it was jammed. He did not notice Tom jump up to the bridge above them, perch on the railing, and then jump into the air at Zach.

"ZACH! Look out!" Sam screeched. Zach looked up and dove sideways, avoiding Tom's kick. The tile around where Tom's foot embedded itself, had shattered. Tom snorted. Andrew ran up beside Zach and tossed him one of the pipes that Sam had, he was holding the other.

"Come on Zach. We have to stop him. He's going to kill everyone else otherwise!" Zach nodded. They stared at Tom who stared back, his head cocked to the side with a sinister smile.

"Go ahead. _Kill_ me if you _can_." Tom snarled and dashed at the two boys. They charged him right back. Sarah ran up beside Sam and they both gasped. Just as the three were about to collide, Tom jumped up doing a corkscrew spin in the air, landing behind Andrew and Zach. They skidded to a halt and began to turn around as Tom lunged with a spinning kick. Andrew ducked under Tom's leg, but Zach wasn't so lucky. His arm took the brunt of Tom's shin, and he was thrown aside by the impact.

"Zach!" Andrew shouted as he dodged a punch from Tom. Zach was slowly pushing himself up.

"Where are you looking Andrew? I'm right in front of you!" Tom growled and grabbed Andrew by his arm. Andrew cried in pain as Tom twisted his arm around, making Andrew hunch forward. He then kneed Andrew in the stomach. He lifted one arm in the air and was about to bring it down on Andrew's elbow when Zach tackled Tom. Tom grunted as Zach lifted him and slammed him to the ground.

"Hmph. That all you got?" Tom snickered as he sprang back to his feet. Zach's face filled with shock and then pain as Tom slammed an open palm into Zach's abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. The aggressor then grabbed Zach by his shoulders and slammed him to the ground. Tom stomped on Zach's chest repeatedly, making the pinned boy cough blood. Andrew ran up behind Tom and jumped on his back, wrapping his arms around Tom's neck in attempt to choke him. Tom stumbled backwards and then fell with Andrew pinned under him.

"Release...me...!" Tom grunted and kicked his head back, smashing Andrew in his jaw. The smaller boy howled in pain as his grip loosened from Tom and the latter sat up. Zach was still on the ground like Andrew who was crying in pain. Tom loomed over the injured boy and raised his foot over Andrew's head. Tom then heard gunshots, and quickly flipped backwards. He shot a cold glare at Sarah who was aiming at him. The pistols quivered in her nervous clutches. Sam stared dumbfounded.

"Oh you stupid little _whores_" he hissed. Tom ran at them, twisting and dodging the gunshots as Sarah fired at him, though inaccurate. The two girls started to step backwards in fear as the distance between them and their assailant closed quickly.

"SARAH!" Andrew shrieked as he lurched upwards, blood trickling from his lip.

* * *

Tom threw a punch that connected with Sarah's stomach. Tom was facing Sam as the blow struck, and he sneered at her with an evil gleam in his eye. Time seemed to slow as the two locked eyes for a moment, and it was then that Sam realized the Tom she knew was 'dead'. Sarah's eyes bulged, the gun fell from her hands, and a weak cough escaped her lips with Tom's fist embedded in her stomach; time seemed to return to regular as Sam felt a slight breeze? Tom's speed had created a mini-sonic boom or something of that caliber, because Sam saw a distortion in the air between him and Sarah, before Sarah was launched backwards, slamming into one of the planters beside the escalators, falling unconcious or dead as she did not move.

"Saaarraaaaaah!!!" Andrew screamed in a prolonged cry. He struggled to his feet. Zach was doing the same, he was already at one knee. Tom took a few steps towards Sam who was petrified in fear.

"W-W-Why Tom?" she whimpered as the male stared emptily at her.

"Why you ask? Hah. Why should I answer to somebody such as the likes of you? _Stupid little bitch_" he growled angrily. He raised his left arm across his body in preparation to smack Sam. She trembled in her spot, unable to move. Tom grinned fiendishly and his arm started to come down. Sam was backhanded forcefully in the cheek, causing her head to jerk sideways, a red imprint on her right cheek. Tears started to well up in her eyes.

"Save it you stupid bitch. Nothing you can do or say will save you now" Tom growled, leaning his face closer to Sam. He sniffed her neck and slowly extended his tongue from his mouth, running it up and down her soft skin. Sam whimpered as Tom exhaled a noise from deep within his throat. His hot breath sent shivers down Sam's spine. He started to smile, bearing his teeth.

"P-P-Please...T-T-Tom...c-come b-back..." she sobbed. Tom lifted his head and stared into her tear filled eyes. The boy roughly grabbed her by her arms and pulled her against his body.

"I'm past the point of no return. Nobody can save me, and _nobody_ can save _you_" he whispered in her ear. He moved his face back to her neck and pressed his mouth against it. Sam whimpered more as she felt his teeth painfull and slowly sinking into her skin.

"P-Please...don't...t-this...this isn't..." she weeped as she felt blood trickle from the bite and felt Tom's tongue flicked against her skin. A muffled growl echoed from within his throat. Tom was abruptly separated from his victim by Andrew and Zach who slammed into him with their shoulders. The girl cumpled to the ground on her knees and began to cry as well as clutch at the wound in her neck.

"I-I-I l-loved you...I r-really...d-did..." she mumbled in between sobs. Tom was stuck between Zach and Andrew who combined their strength and threw Tom through a shop window. Glass shattered everywhere and cut through the psychotic boy's flesh, leaving numerous cuts and gashes in his skin and tears in his bloody clothing.

"W-W-What ha-have I d-done..." she mumbled still as Zach picked her up off the ground. He shouted something to her, but his voice was faint and muffled, Sam could not hear him fully. She looked into his eyes which were filled with fear and concern. She saw Andrew picking up Sarah's motionless body off the ground. She looked up into the sunlight that shone through the glass ceilng panels. She squinted at the silhouettes that started to grow from the sky. Helicopters were hovering overhead, and soldiers were fast roping down (a la Rainbow Six). The glass above shattered as she glanced at the store where Tom was getting up, and she felt empty.

"Come on! We've got to go!" Zach shouted to Andrew who was crying as he held Sarah's body in his arms. Zach ran past him and up the motionless escalator, holding Sam in his arms. Andrew ran up after him as Spec Ops landed on the ground floor.

"I won't allow you to get away!" Tom shouted from the window that he was climbing out of. The Spec Ops shouted at the fleeing teens to halt, but the zombie threat was still iminent, so they placed their focus on that problem at hand. Some of the soldiers surrounded Tom with their machine guns ready, and he just stood there watching the others go. A smile worked its way across his face.

"Come on son. We'll take you to safety and get you cleaned up" one of the soldiers said to Tom. Tom's head lolled back and forth as he began to hum.

"Kid are you alright?" another asked. Tom continued to hum.

"Hey you brat. Answer!" a third soldier gruffly shouted. Tom lazily looked at them.

"Oh me? I'm quite alright...too bad for _you_ though..." he sneered as he lunged at the nearest soldier who screamed.

* * *

**A/N: OMFG**

I finally got to this part. Oh wow it took me a while...I recently gained interest in writing a Super Smash Brothers fic (Which if you read please take my poll!). I hope I made this part good for everybody. One chapter to go and then the filler/epilogue! Yay!

Genetically enchanced Tom...oh man I wanted to do so much for this, but I wanted to keep it 'slightly' realistic. Buuut, I'm fairly happy with the outcome. Now all I have to do is finish the story up, which I hope to do soon.

To all my fans and reviewers, I thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed this, and I hope you will enjoy the conclusion to DR:ZI.

DaemonShifter


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